Homeless, possibly looking?

[theboysoldier]

I wanted to help. To do my part for my country and for the war. Captain America was my hero.

I thought he would understand.

Must you always make me so alone?

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[theboysoldier]

That's ... that's not funny.

[ Confused, and a little hurt. He doesn't have a family. He left his family behind. ]

[darkholmeless]

What isn't? I wasn't trying to be.

[Now she's confused. And worried. What did she do wrong?]

Are you okay?

[theboysoldier]

[ His mind brushes against hers, like a blanket thrown over her. His touch isn't very light or delicate, but he doesn't push without permission, just rests against her thoughts and asks to know. How does she know him? ]

[darkholmeless]

[Her face screws up at the intrusion, but she doesn't push away. It wouldn't be fair to, not when she's blue.

The memories are fleeting, but bright and excited, and it's like she's suddenly grabbing his hand and tugging him quickly along Memory Lane. She doesn't let herself think about the time before, because none of that matters.

She just thinks about how he held his hand out to her and offered her a home only a few weeks ago, how they stuffed their faces with sweets that night and talked about what made them different. How she always has to hide around mother, but not when they were left alone (which is more often than not). How they were slowly making everyone remember her, think that she's been there all along. Well, that was really just him, but she stands there and smiles until their expressions shift into something like adoration. How sometimes it makes Charles' head ache if he tries to 'convince' too many people in one day, but Raven knows by now that instant-cocoa and quiet whispers are all he needs to feel better.

It's only been a few weeks, but he's the best friend - the only friend - she's ever had.

They're family, now and forever.]

[theboysoldier]

[ He pulls his hand away from his temple, and he's trembling. He's shaking. Tears in his eyes and all he can mumble is: ] I didn't know, I've never -- [ and his mind exults with not alone, I'm not alone, soaring like a bird, like -- Raven, her name, her namesake. ]

[darkholmeless]

[what. hey. and.

Raven's wrapping her arms around him before she even has a chance to make a proper decision to, because it's something like instinct at this point, even though it's still very new for her to feel comfortable enough to hug anyone. It's a little bit awkward, in fact, there's a good chance he won't be able to hug her back because she's got her arms locked right around his, but it feels fine to her.]

[theboysoldier]

[ And he wiggles and squirms, but it's not to get away, it's to wrap his arms tight around her. A mental stream of this is incredible, you are incredible and their minds bleeding into each other and she can see the war, the first German spy's eyes going black as Charles ripped open his memories and his mother looking away as the men escorted him out of the house and the constant pain of a battlefield and the desperate wish that someone, somewhere, someone decide to love him. ]

[darkholmeless]

[She tries really hard not to, but the images make her whine and squeeze her eyes shut, because she's not sure how to ask him to stop and she doesn't really want him to, because she wants to know him, but it's scary, it's really really scary, and her arms tighten just a little more.]

No. [She's not denying him by any means, but what he shows her, it's like watching something on television she's sure she's not supposed to see and it's making her upset and confused. Because what she was seeing was all wrong, Charles should never have to feel that way, not anymore.]

[theboysoldier]

[ It ebbs. Like a wave that's crashed and expended all its energy and just left foam and salt-water sliding off of rocks. ]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I won't do that again, I promise.

[darkholmeless]

It's okay. [She's still a little bit scared, but now that it stopped she's alright. Her eyes blink open and she pulls back a little bit, just so she can look at him.]

You can share things with me, if you want to. [Her fingers touch above his ear.] You just have to tell me if it's going to be scary first, okay?

[theboysoldier]

[ He nods, too quickly. ]

A lot of the things that have happened to me are. Scary, I mean.

[ This is the first time he's admitted it. ]

[darkholmeless]

Me too. Just a different kind. [The breaking into houses and stealing food kind. But she doesn't want to talk about it.

So she grabs his hand and tugs.]

C'mon. It's time for tea. [Tea, cocoa. Same thing.]

[theboysoldier]

Cocoa is not the same.

[ This is pure admonishment. For a second, he's a forty-year-old in a twelve-year-old body: ]

Cocoa is much better.

[ And he grins and steps ahead, tugging her along. ]