One Bad Apple (general thread for Raye and Apple)

[Andrea Anderson]

Raye's gaze shifted to the downed woman in the ring. Was that a hint of compassion in the elf's eyes? Surely not, that had been extinguished quite a while back.

Candy still had some energy... she looked toward the clock and seeing the time... thought she'd check out the Outback. Out she went without another word. Someone would have to track her down to give her the ring.

Rayvinn didn't like the idea of just sitting there while someone was injured and not trying to help. She was a slacker and perpetual smartass but she wasn't immune to feeling the suffering of another being; blame her elven heritage for that. She cleared her throat softly as she stood and moved to the ring. "Is...can I do something to help?" Not that she really knew -what- to do but she was willing if another pair of hands were needed.

Jaycy blinks, having forgotten others were here. She looks up to Raye, ceasing the stream just for a moment to answer. “Honestly, I don't know. I think the Ward will work well enough to heal her but I can't be entirely sure.” Blushes slightly. “I'm playing it by ear.” After answering, she resumes the whisper of waterfall from the bottle::

Raye nodded a little, not having much experience with the wards and therefore not knowing what to say.

Stepping out form the back offices, Apple looked to the ring that still held the Baroness within it. ".. This might be kind of a bad time to say this, but.. Can I have the barony ring? and I need to know when you'll be able to leave the, uh.. barons housing."

Hearing Apple, Raye turned to just stare at her.

Camilla was in no condition to respond to Apple at the moment

Ahem. Yes. Apple noticed that a little too late. Which made things a little more awkward for her.
"I'll just.. make a little note." Another ahem. ".. You fought well." Adding in. Hands held behind her back. Fingers fidgeting about.

Camilla left with Jaycy following behind at a respectable distance, just to be sure the woman arrived at her destination without any difficulty.

".. Jeez.." Apple brought those hands out from behind her back. One kept at her side while the other rose up to ruffle at cury red hair. "I feel bad.."

"It was a bad situation. No one wants to be stripped of something they value so much. To have that occur publicly and with great physical pain couldn't have been easy for her." Then Raye did what she did best, shrugged the seriousness away and forced a laugh. "Why didn't you wake me up? I look so lazy falling asleep in here all the time." Pokes at her. "Somebody likes to stay up all night and I don't get enough sleep!"

The laugh brought some comfort. Apple still felt a little uneasy. She should've kept her mouth shut, but it was something she needed to ask. The poke had her smiling ever so lightly, and finally a laugh came next. "I got too caught up in the fight.. I didn't even realize you were sleeping... and heeey, it's not my fault I'm so cute that I keep you up all night."

"Entirely your fault."

"Then it looks like I'll be keeping you up all night again.." Reaching out to brush fingers against the hem of Rayes shirt. Then curling them to grasp at the fabric. Light tugging here and there while she drew closer. Head dipped and chin tucked against her neck. ".. but it wont be so bad, I bet.."

"I had a power nap...I should be good for a few hours before I croak."

"Then what should we do..?" Finally peering back up and into the elfs eyes. "I'm leaving it up to you.."

"You leave it up to me because you know I will say that we can do whatever you want to do." She laughed a little and tucked a dyed red curl behind Apple's ear.

".. Gasp.. you totally know my plan now." Faking surprise. Wide eyed and mouth opened. The look settled back and she began to smirk once more. "Weeelll..." One hand stopped its fiddling with the elfs shirt so that it could instead move a finger about the womans covered stomach. ".. I'm all dressed up, we're wide awake. Take me someplace where we can dance till morning?"

[Andrea Anderson]

Looking down at her ratty jeans, tee shirt, and flip flops and then back up to Apple, the elf smirked a little. "Like this? You wanna go out in public with someone that looks like this?"

The moving of the finger stopped. Instead, a few more came to press against Rayes stomach to offer a small push. "C'mon. You look just perfect. You could lose the flipflops though." Leaning away then. Back step, back step. Hands found themselves held behind her back. "Or you making excuses? Want it just me and you tonight? I don't mind."

"I'm not making excuses, I just didn't want to embarrass you because I am all dressed down." Thumbs hooked into the front pockets of her jeans as she watched Apple. Head tilted a little. "What are you up to, anyway?"

"You'd never embarrass me.. Okay, maybe. But I'd defend you till the end." Snickering. The woman leaned forward a little. Bending her head back just a little so she could look up at Raye, then she'd straighten herself out and step closer again. "Give me a kiss..?" Was this a way to deflect the whole `` what are you up to, anyway? `` question?

"Nuh uh, woman! You don't get over the plague in like a day." The elf stepped back a little and put up her finger ward cross. "Wouldn't you much rather have a...uhm...handshake? I mean if you washed your hands first!" Still walking backwards.

Stalking after the elf. Grin flashing on her milky white face. "Nope, nope, nope.. I want a kiss. It's been sooooooo..-" Dragging it out. "- oooo.. long since i've had one. I mean, I could like.. totally drop dead right now or somethin'! You know, from the lack of kissing!"

"If you dropped dead...it would be because of the plague! Healer, woman! Go to a healer!" The paranoid elf thrust out her arms to further ward against the kiss with her finger cross. "Back! Back I say!"

Catching those arms. She'd fit her fingers between Rayes own and begin to push back against them! Sure, she wasn't as strong as the elf.. but she could try! "Grrr.. I demand to be kissed!"
She demands with the biggest grin ever.

"Hey! Now stop that, Apple. I could hurt you." She wasn't budging. Raye + the fear of plague = insane paranoia. "Demand to be kissed after you get healed. Otherwise I am going to have to take you down and drag you off to a healer so you aren't contagious anymore!" Would she really do any of that? "And anyway...what is *wrong* with you? Why are you so after me now? Because you are being denied? Hm? Hm? Because I am an exotic species? What is this attempted lip rape all about?"

"A little bit of this, a little bit of that.. and a whole bunch of missing the feel of your lips against mine." Oh. That had her blushing now. The two of them had been getting a little more comfortable with one another over the past few months, but there was still some things that brought that hint of red to Apples cheeks. ".. You're mine, right? You said I'm yours.. and you're mine."

She stopped her fighting. Instead, she'd draw herself close to hold Rayes hands together and within her own, against the mid of her chest. ".. I'm not plagued, seriously. See?" Sniffs back. Clean and clear. "Thank the lack of pets in the arena tonight.."

Trying to use logic to combat paranoia was lunacy really. She couldn't think that Rayvinn would just go along with this entire thing simply because she didn't have any symptoms of plague. Logic had never fueled the elf's phobias or outright insanity when the insanity came to call. "Possession has nothing to do with this, Apple." She looked down at her hands like she wanted to draw them back and wash but stood still, mostly. "Did you wash your hands recently?"

Siiiiigh! Woe is Apple. Having paired herself up with such a paranoid elf. Fingers uncurled and pulled away, then she took a step back. Arms crossed loosely at the womans front, just below her bust. ". . . . ." Excuse her. Here comes the pouting.

"I will take that as a no. Excuse me for a moment, will you?" Rayvinn tried not to rush off to the locker room to scrub at her hands, but her steps were a little quicker than normal. After several minutes, the elf returned with reddened hands and forearms. At least she was smiling now, though! "So, what were you up to?" Raye might be paranoid and crazy, but she wasn't dumb. "You didn't think I would be so easily dissuaded did you?”

When she did come back, Apple would be sitting at the callers couch. One of those fishnet covered legs crossed over another and bounced up and down. "I wasn't up to anything." Looks like she wasn't feeling pretty playful right now. ".. I just miss it, you know."

[Andrea Anderson]

"I'm not sure I follow you really. There was never an over abundance of kissing between us. We have always been rather awkward." She sat on the other end of the couch with her back pressed to the arm so that she was facing the redhead.

"Honestly...I have no idea how to get close to you in that way. I get nervous. I worry about being too forward. I worry about what you will think. I don't know what to say, Apple. I am awkward with you and I don't know how to overcome that." Finally some honesty about their situation.

"You don't have to feel awkward.. I mean, I told you it's okay.. Remember? After the mask party." She still remembered the night. How they stood blow that street lamp and spoke with one another. Apple shifted against the couch, forcing herself to turn to her side. She'd press her shoulder and the side of her head against the couch. "I dunno, I've just gotten used to the idea of being able to do it.. and I want to." Her gaze shifting to the side. "Is it weird? You know I have feelings for you, right..? I just want to show it too.."

"I don't think it's weird at all. But I don't know what to say. I know you say not to feel awkward, but I do. I can't help that. I can't help how I feel." Rayvinn sighed a little as she leaned her head against the couch also. Her voice softened. "I know you do. I have feelings for you too. I...I guess I just need to figure it out. I know I don't like to be the cause of any sort of upset for you but that seems to be what I am doing."

Sighing again, the elf rubbed a hand across her forehead. "Have you ever considered that maybe I am just not right for you, Andrea? I have thought about this a million times, I am sure. It isn't something I like to think of but there are times when I can't help it. I suck at being close to someone and eventually it blows up." She swallowed heavily and pushed the thought of Jonothon out of her mind. She didnt want to think that she could hurt Apple the way she was sure she had hurt him. And maybe that was part of the problem, part of why Raye wouldn't let Apple get closer.

"Not right for me..?" Andrea fell silent then. Her eyes lowering themselves to look down at the couch instead of keeping the elf within her sights. She thought over Rayes words. Was there ever a time she thought Rayvinn wasn't right for her? ".. Yeah, there was.. I wondered why this beautiful woman was so interested in me." She reached to rub nervously at her arm. "I thought it again at the beltane party too.. you looked so natural out there, and then there was me. I felt out of place and just, I dunno.. useless. We're really different."

The redhead swallowed back. Green eyes peering up at the elf. "But, maybe I just suck at talking about stuff like this.. I don't know, I mean." Feeling a little tongue tied. She pushed herself from her lean against the couch and slouched forward. Moving a little closer to Raye when she did so. "I like it.. I like how you're so strong. I mean, when Candy started that stuff in the Outback? And, like.. you pulled me away and protected me? I felt, like -everything was okay. Like nothing could hurt me. But I don't just like you 'cus of that.. it's a bunch of stuff." She shook her head.

"I might think about it at times, but it's not really if you're not right for me -- it's like.. if *i'm* the one not right for you.. but then I look at your face and the thoughts just leave me, 'cus I wanna stay with you." She huffed out. ".. I'm not sounding confusing, right?"

Rayvinn shook her head several times while Apple was speaking to indicate her disagreement with the redhead's words but she waited for her to finish before saying anything. "You were beautiful and natural and courageous at Beltane. You went, even though you were nervous and didn't feel like you would fit in. You didn't only show up, you were yourself and you mingled with new people and met Daigh and Quinn. You dazzled and shined. Yes, we are really different. You see the bright side of everything and I destroy everything that is bright. There is just so much about me that you don't know, Andrea. I wanted you to like me so I tried to just hold back everything and behave. People can't be happy when they have to pretend not to be who they are. It's not you that isn't right for me. You are perfect, despite what you say. I'm the one that isn't right."

She reached out her freshly scrubbed hand and plucked at the fishnets above Apple's knee then let go of the material and traced over it before she spoke again. "I don't know if I can make you happy, Andrea and I don't want to gamble with your heart when the odds are so stacked against it. I don't know how to fix what is broken and be someone good for you."

[Andrea Anderson]

"I don't want you to pretend. I want you to be you.." Andrea thought back on the time they've spent together. How much of it had been Raye holding back. How much of it was Raye not being herself? It brought some sort of pain to the pit of Apples stomach when she thought about it. She reached out slowly. Looking to bring her palm down upon the elfs own hand. "I want to make the gamble.. I know, I just know that you wont do anything to hurt me.." Her bottom lip found itself bit.

Apple couldn't help it, she was feeling rather emotional about this whole situation. It was the reason why she began to lightly sniff back. That hand pulled away so she could swipe fingers under her eyes. Another sniff followed while she leaned away. ".. God, I'm sorry.. I don't want to cry."

"Don't apologize for crying if you need to cry. I'm not going to judge you, especially when you watched me sob like a baby when Aurast mentioned Dyarhk." She would have taken Apple's hand, despite the fear of the woman's germs, but Apple had taken it away so Rayvinn just brushed her fingers across the redhead's knee repetitively.

"I'm sorry I have hurt you, Andrea. You say you want me to be myself...this is who I am and what I do." She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "This time last year, I was engaged to be married to a man I never thought I would leave. My past came back to haunt me and I was afraid he would be killed so I left in the middle of the night. Just got out of our bed and left without telling him goodbye. I still haven't spoken to him, Andrea. He doesn't even know if I am dead or alive. I didn't have the decency to even tell him I was back."

She finally looked back up to the redhead. "This is who I am." She reached up to touch the woman's cheek, careful to avoid the tears since they would carry germs as well. "Just so you know, I never faked caring about you. I never faked enjoying time spent with you."

Andrea listened. She sat there and just listened. Her mind going wild with the sudden knowledge that the woman who sat before her had once been engaged, that she left this man during the middle of the night.. It sounded familiar. Raye had left her too; though at the time they lacked any sort of emotional relationship, but Raye had come back -- and to her of all people. But it left open the thought. Could she do it again? Just one day - up and leave? Without a word? Even with the promise that was shared between the two of them.

But the final thing that set her over the edge was when the elf spoke of never faking caring about her, never faking about spending time with her. Apple didn't care what happened next. She leaned forward just then and moved to press against Raye. The elf need not worry about lips touching to her own, as Apples face attempted to bury itself instead against the womans chest. ".. Raye..!" Those arms began to wrap and hold. "I don't care.. I don't care." Her shoulders shook while she cried. "I.. I don't want to give up on you.. On us," She coughed then. Getting a little too emotional. "On all of this."

Rayvinn blinked in surprise at first as Apple buried her face and wrapped her in a hug. When she felt the woman shaking and crying, her surprise gave way and she gently petted at her hair and wrapped an arm around her. She tried to soothe her, "Ssh okay. We won't give up yet. We'll keep trying to make it work. It's okay, Apple, I'm not going anywhere." Curly red hair was gently finger combed in what Raye hoped was a soothing way. She hadn't wanted to hurt her but the elf also knew she couldn't keep trying to hide who she was.

------

[Andrea Anderson]

Before Daybreak ~ 7/19/2012
Room in the Outback
--

SethTheBest2
What's up?

Bad x Apple
Nothing much
trying to be quiet
rayes sleeping in the next room

SethTheBest2
Next room? Where the hell are then? Isn't that place just one huge room?
*are you then

Bad x Apple
bathroom

SethTheBest2
LOL SERIOUSLY?

Bad x Apple
shes tired
i want her to get her sleep and the laptop is distracting

SethTheBest2
Ahhhhh.. but, seriously. The bathroom?

Bad x Apple
get some of my best thinking done in the bathroom dude :3

SethTheBest2
Rofl. And what are you thinking about now?

Bad x Apple
cupcakes
trying to find a recipe for something Raye might like

SethTheBest2
No one likes being killed, Andrea.
and by killed I mean poisoned.
and by poisoned I mean from your food.
Because you know.. your cooking..
It's bad.

Bad x Apple
. . .
i hate you so much right now

SethTheBest2
Use that hate for something good and play WarpCraft with me.

Bad x Apple
not going to play that casual crap
too busy trying to find a way to poison my girlfriend
bye
ps the governor ate my brownies and didnt die so f u

SethTheBest2
Wait. What?

--

Apple rolled her eyes and set her status to away. Last thing she wanted to do was get mad at Seth and his need to poke at her cooking skill; something that everyone seemed to be having a joke about the past week or so.

Tonight with Raye upset her maybe a little more than it should have.

".. I just want to make something nice for you." she said in a low mumble. Finger continued to tap away at that down-arrow key. Cupcake recipes scrolling down her screen, along with photos beside each and every one of them. Though tired from her activities in the Outback; the redhead just couldn't fall asleep.. not when the search was on.

Like a tigress stalking her prey.. Apple continued on. Searching and searching through that list till she found something that caught her interest.

".. Bingo."

Jack Daniel’s Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Oh yes. That sounded just perfect.

[Andrea Anderson]

".. Black bear on gray.. Dunno, can't really get artistic with gray." Apple said while hunched before her laptop. Yes, hunched. If she kept up with this she might have back pain at a very early age.

The redhead tapped a not so busy index finger against the side of her noggin while the other brushed across touch-pad. A sign of thought - or lack of it, while she tried to use all her brain power to figure out a shirt idea. "Should just leave it to Raye.. she's the artsy one." Self doubt on full display the second those words left her lips.

What else was there to do early in the morning?

Sleep. That's one thing. But what do you do when you can't sleep?

Create a t-shirt for a friend. That's something.

Wait. Was Candy a friend? This is what happens with a lack of sleep and a wandering mind that didn't seem that all focused on the task the redhead placed onto it. But the question was still there. What was Candy to her? A friendly enough acquaintance if you kept on her good side; which was easy when you refer back to that brain-stored `DO's and DON'Ts` list. An ever growing list. That should be added.

".. Yeah, I'd call her one.." Andrea admitted while pressing chin to an open palm.

Then again. Maybe she just had a thing for dangerous people. There was something spooky about that sharp smile.

"Stop it. Stop it." said while ruffling her hair. "No more distractions!" That's all the over-thinking was. A distraction.

Andrea hunched over again. This time settling elbows against Indian-style bent knees; all while cheeks did their best to relax against pressed open palms. ".. Meh.. Run it by Raye or somethin'.." said while she stared at the screen.

There was that self doubt again.

She leaned back and collapsed against the tiled floor of the bathroom. Hands resting down against that rising and falling stomach of hers. Eyes locking their sights onto the ceiling light.

".. Should be back from her jog soon.. Maybe I should make some breakfast." There was a grunt of feigned effort ( or was it fatigue from lack of sleep ) when she pushed herself from that laying position. Sitting up, gathering her laptop, and then finally standing up.

"Screw it.. Wonder if the bakery is open."

That t-shirt would have to wait.