#apprentice raelynn

Showing up three weeks late with an angel food cake somehow entirely fits Raelynn, so here’s to a happy birthday Argen! Better late than never, especially if it’s an excuse to wear a pretty dress again and eat more (un)birthday cake.

Oh hey it’s time for some cheesiness with Caspian and Raelynn ♥♥♥ I love these two so much and how much they love and build each other up

The sand beneath them was still barely warm from the summer’s sun, shifting with Raelynn as she turned onto her side within Caspian’s arm. He adjusted with her, pulling her in while Raelynn wrapped herself around him so they could be as close as possible with their clothes still on.

(click for better qualiteaaaa)

I finally finished @vesuvianalia ‘s character ref sheet cause my arm was willingly twisted into doing it. I’m still thinking about redoing it for pre-plage scary Raelynn, just cause they are almost different people at times 👀

:3> slight angst but also hurt/comfort time. Putting under a cut cause as per usual, turned out longer than anticipated.

The rain was a welcome cold against her fevered skin, rolling down her face to help hide the true cause of her smudged eye makeup. Adjusting her hood, Raela hesitated outside Asra’s door. It was far too late to expect any sane person to remain awake - that was the whole point in going at this time. 

Resolving herself to leaving him a rain-soaked note if he didn’t answer, Raela moved to knock. The door was already open and Asra was staring out at her standing in the rain with that concerned look she both hated and loved.

“Raelynn?” His brow furrowed, glancing quickly at her bag and back at her face. “It’s two in the morning, is something wrong? Come inside.”

There was a split second where she considered lying, covering up the tracks of her emotions and memories like she had been doing for the past ten years. It had kept her and her family safe until that day. But she was so tired of being Raela, and Asra deserved the truth from her. Even if it opened her up to hurt in the future.

“I won’t be long.” She stepped up to the doorway, looking up into his kind face as he lingered a step above. “I’m leaving Vesuvia and I... well, I wanted to tell at least you goodbye before I left.”

His shoulders tensed, “Is Lucio sending you on a mission?”

“No, he is not.” Raela scoffed at the thought of Lucio, “I am quite done with him. I’m leaving because I have been here far too long and I’m starting to forget why I left the South in the first place. It’s... this place is making me soft.”

The frown on Asra’s face went from hopeful to pitying, Raela’s stomach twisting inside of her. “Is being soft a bad thing?”

“Yes,” she whispered, “It is when you are me. When you’d rather risk your life and soul in becoming a horrible person to save your family from those who would seek to hurt you through them.” Raela was shaking, but not from the cold. “It is when you’re sleeping with a person who does horrible things to keep this stupid reputation, when all you want to do is be held by... by someone who cares.”

“Raelynn,” Asra moved slowly, his hand crossing the threshold to hold her face. She flinched at how warm his palm was, eyes refocusing on him. “I don’t... know all the details, but you’ve done enough. You can be yourself, Raelynn. You can be soft.” Carefully, he brushed a tear from her eyes, further smearing the black kohl dripping down her face. “Do you-” His throat bobbed, eyes smoldering, “Do you care for me?”

Raela stopped short, trying to slam shut doors that were better left closed. She knew he liked her, knew it but didn’t want to take advantage of him and- “Yes. I do, Asra. And that’s why I need to leave, because if I stop and allow myself to care I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to leave.”

Asra’s other hand came to cup the other side of her face, and he looked so focused. Like he was when discovering new magic or figuring out a puzzle. “That’s more than enough for me.”

He kissed her in the rain then, and it was everything Raelynn had hoped it would be ever since the ember of a crush had flared in her chest. Asra was so warm and steady, and she was trying her best to not cling to him and get him wet, only allowing herself to wrap her fingers around his wrists.

There was a smile on his face as he pulled away, his hands falling from his face to her shoulders to hold her. “I won’t stop you from leaving, but wherever you go, I’m going too.”

“No, you can’t leave! Too many people depend on you, I wouldn’t dare take you away from the people who care about you and depend on you. What about Muriel, or the old woman down the alley? You need to stay here, Asra.” Raelynn shook her head, water droplets flying everywhere.

“And you don’t have people depending on you here?” Asra shot back, a smirk on his face.

“Not like you do,” Raelynn sighed through her nose. “I... I do care about you, but why should my feelings be more important than someone else’s needs?”

He pouted at that, before giving his own sigh, “I’m an adult who can make their own decisions you know. And I want to be with you.”

“Stubborn ass,” her lips twisted into something that had a semblance of a smile. “Don’t make a hasty decision because of me, please Asra. I’m not worth it.”

Asra pulled her towards him, and she let him guide her past the doorway until she was snugly against him. “Raelynn, if I have ever met someone worthy, it is you. I’m not trying to make a hasty decision, but I want to be with you. Please.”

“I...” Raelynn didn’t know what to say to that, feeling like he was trying to dismantle walls she spent too long building. “Why?” She croaked instead.

Looking up at her like she was the sun, Asra simply smiled, “Stay here tonight. You can leave in the morning and maybe by then you might be able to dissuade me from coming with.”

She allowed herself to relent, only voicing a minor concern over her being soaking wet when they moved in for another kiss. And when her wet clothes - or any clothes - were no longer an issue and kisses had turned to soft sighs and praises, Raelynn realized Asra had long ago knocked down any walls she had.

And when morning came and found her held in the arms of someone who truly cared about her, it turned out Raelynn did not want to leave.