Finally, he wrestled her through the door and into the familiar warmth of his home. Relief washed over him in a small wave, quickly followed by a fresh surge of exhaustion. He'd expected blessed silence. Instead, he was met with the comforting chatter of his friends. Jihu was perched on the sofa, Faith giggling beside her, stacking colourful blocks. Ri sat in an armchair, Roxy nestled in her lap, engrossed in a picture book.
"Raven! You're back!" Jihu greeted him with a warm smile, although it faltered slightly as she took in Shu's dishevelled state. "Oh, dear. Rough night?"
"Understatement," Raven grunted, manoeuvring Shu towards the nearest chair, which sagged under her limp form. "Where are Fang and Ash?" he asked, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.
Jihu's smile softened further. "Ash wasn't feeling well. Fang took her home early."
Ri glanced up from the book, her eyes widening slightly at Shu. Then, she looked at Raven, a thoughtful expression clouding her face. "You know what, Raven? I think I'll take Roxy back with me tonight. She loves playing with Faith, and… well, you seem a bit preoccupied."
Raven blinked, caught off guard. He hadn't considered Roxy at all in this chaotic return. He looked at his daughter, her bright eyes fixed on the picture book, oblivious to the adult tension in the room. He opened his mouth to speak, to protest perhaps, but the words wouldn't come.
Jihu, ever perceptive, placed a hand on his shoulder, her touch grounding him. "Don't worry, Raven. We'll take care of Roxy. You need to focus on Shu. Get her sorted out." Her voice was gentle but firm. "We'll see you tomorrow."
Before Raven could fully process it, Ri scooped up Roxy, who waved cheerfully at Raven. "Bye, Papa!" Faith echoed, waving too. Jihu gave Raven another reassuring squeeze, and then, as quickly as they'd arrived, they were gone, leaving Raven alone with the heavily breathing, unconscious Shu.
The silence that descended was thick and heavy, amplifying the rhythmic rise and fall of Shu's chest. Just as Raven started to unclench his jaw, a wet, gurgling sound erupted from Shu. He barely had time to react before she was retching again, the smell acrid and stomach-churning. He swiftly guided her to the bathroom, kneeling beside her as she emptied her stomach again and again.
Finally, the spasms subsided. Shu slumped against the cool tiles, weak and pale. Raven wiped her face with a damp cloth, his touch gentle. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first, then gradually clearing. She blinked, and recognition dawned. Her gaze locked onto Raven's.
A tremor ran through her body. She was in his lap, in his arms. Memories, fragmented and distorted, flickered in her mind – the taste of cheap wine, the forced laughter, the overwhelming loneliness that had driven her to drink in the first place. And then, the sharp, painful clarity of seeing Raven.
Unable to contain the flood of emotion, she threw her arms around his neck, clinging to him with desperate strength. Moans escaped her lips, broken and raw. "Raven…" she whispered, her voice thick with tears. "Do you hate me that much? Three years… three years and you haven't even wanted to look at me."
Her words were slurred, punctuated by sobs, but the anguish in them was unmistakable. "I know… I said terrible things when I… when I didn't remember. Can't you… can't you forgive me just once? Please, Raven. I'll never say bad things to you again. Come back to me." She tightened her grip, burying her face in his shoulder. "Come back to me, Raven. I… I keep dreaming this isn't real. That you're not really here."
She pulled back slightly, her eyes searching his face, desperate for a sign, any sign. "I've been dying, Raven, dying every moment of these three years. Forgive me. Please." Her voice broke completely. "Roxy… Roxy. Remember Roxy? The gift you gave me? I… I've taken care of her. Look how carefully I've raised her. She's… she's your last gift. I'll never let her be a… a disappointment to you. I've wanted her all my life. So that… so that your absence wouldn't hurt so much."
Her tears flowed freely now, a torrent of grief and regret. "Come back to me, Raven. I can't… I can't do this anymore. I can't fight anymore." Her body shook with the force of her sobs, as if three years of pent-up tears were erupting all at once. She clung to him, her grip vicelike, terrified that if she let go, he would vanish again.
Shu cried and cried, her sobs echoing in the small bathroom. Raven held her, his own emotions a tangled mess in his chest. He wanted to soothe her, to tell her it would be alright, but the words felt hollow, inadequate. He didn't know how to stop the tidal wave of her grief.
Then, as suddenly as it began, it stopped. Shu's body went limp. Her sobs ceased, replaced by a quiet stillness. Her head lolled against his neck, heavy and unconscious. She had fainted, finally succumbing to exhaustion and emotion.
Carefully, Raven lifted her, carrying her like a fragile doll back to the bedroom. He laid her gently on the bed, pulling the covers over her trembling form. He sat beside her, watching her sleep, her face still streaked with tears.
He reached out, his hand hovering for a moment before softly brushing a strand of hair away from her forehead. His fingers traced the delicate curve of her cheek. He looked at her, at the woman he loved, the woman he had lost and now, perhaps, was finding again, even in this broken state.
He leaned closer, his voice a low, husky whisper, barely audible above the quiet rhythm of her breathing. "I may not be able to promise you that I won't leave you again," he said, his words heavy with unspoken meaning. "I have very little time, but I can promise you this. As long as I breathe, I will stay with you. So don't worry, Shu. I am with you now. I will be with you." He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering there for a moment. "I love you, darling."
He straightened up, his heart aching with a bittersweet tenderness. "Good night, darling, sweet dreams," he murmured, knowing sleep for her would likely be anything but sweet.
He rose from the bed, leaving her to the quiet solace of sleep, and walked to the door. He didn't go to his own room. Instead, he stepped into the small guest room across the hall, closing the door softly behind him. He sank onto the edge of the bed, the weight of the night, the weight of his truth, pressing down on him, heavy and inescapable. He lay back, staring at the ceiling, the faint scent of Shu still clinging to his clothes, a poignant reminder of the love that was both his greatest joy and his deepest sorrow.
The throbbing in Shu's head was the first thing she registered, followed by a sticky dryness in her mouth. She blinked, disoriented, the morning light assaulting her eyes. It felt like she'd been violently yanked from a nightmare, though the nightmare itself was elusive, dissolved like smoke. Fragments of the previous night flickered – laughter, bright lights, the clinking of glasses… nothing coherent. Except one thing, a single, sharp crystal of memory cutting through the fog: Raven's voice, low and serious, saying, "I don't have much time, Shu."
Raven. The name echoed in her mind, a chord of something urgent. Panic, cold and sharp, clawed at her chest. She couldn't remember anything specific about last night, not even how she got home, but Raven's words hung heavy in the air of her memory blackout. He'd only been here a few days, a whirlwind presence that had disrupted her carefully constructed routine. "Few days," she muttered, scrambling out of bed. "He said few days…"
Without bothering to even change out of her sleep-rumpled clothes, Shu flung open her bedroom door and rushed out. The small house was quiet. Her heart hammered against her ribs. Had she imagined it? Had he left already, vanished as suddenly as he'd appeared?
She stumbled into the living room, and then the kitchen. And there he was. Raven. Standing by the stove, the soft morning light catching the silver in his hair, making him look both impossibly handsome and strangely familiar. He was humming softly, a casual melody, and the aroma of frying something savoury filled the air. Breakfast. He was making breakfast.
A wave of relief so profound it almost knocked her off her feet washed over Shu. She leaned against the doorframe, taking deep breaths, the tension in her shoulders easing. He was still here. He hadn't just… disappeared.
Raven turned, a spatula in his hand, and saw her standing there, eyes wide and slightly wild-looking. "Shu?" he asked, a gentle concern in his voice. "Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost. Did something happen?"
Shu blinked, abruptly conscious of her dishevelled state and the frantic energy she must be radiating. "Oh, um… no. I'm fine," she stammered, trying to sound casual, to brush off the sheer terror she'd just experienced. "Just… a bad dream, I guess." She quickly changed the subject, her eyes scanning the room. "Where's Roxy?"
"Roxy's fine," Raven chuckled, turning back to the stove. "She had a sleepover at Ri's house last night. But don't worry, she'll be here any minute. I already talked to her."
As if on cue, the front door creaked open, and Roxy, her small frame bundled in an oversized hoodie and her dark hair slightly tousled, walked in. She didn't say a word, just shuffled directly towards Shu, tiny feet padding softly on the wooden floor. Then, she launched herself at Shu, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist.
"Sorry, Mom," Roxy mumbled into Shu's stomach. "I shouldn't have said it like that yesterday. I'll never tell you that again, Mom." Her voice was thick with remorse.
Shu's heart melted. Yesterday… vaguely, she remembered a sharp word, hurt in Roxy's young eyes. She'd been so quick to dismiss it, lost in her own worries. Now, Roxy's small, repentant form in her arms was all that mattered. Shu hugged her daughter tightly back, burying her face in Roxy's hair.
"Okay, honey," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "It doesn't matter now. You remember it now, and that's what's important. Mom loves you very much, Roxy. Mom never wanted to hurt you, honey. Don't ever misunderstand that. That's enough for me." The vague memory of last night's blur seemed to solidify into a feeling of regret. She'd been drinking, forgetting what truly mattered, and her daughter had felt it.
Raven watched the mother and daughter embrace, a soft smile gracing his lips. A warmth spread through him, chasing away a nameless anxiety he hadn't even realized he'd been carrying. A huge weight seemed to lift from his chest. He cleared his throat gently. "Come on, Roxy, breakfast is ready! Papa made your favorite sandwich."
Roxy pulled away from Shu, grabbing her hand and tugging her towards the kitchen. "Mom, you can have breakfast with us too!"
Shu smiled, her heart lighter than it had been in days. "Okay, honey," she said, letting Roxy lead her to the table.
They sat together – Shu, Raven, and Roxy – around the small kitchen table, a makeshift family portrait bathed in the morning sun. The sandwiches Raven had made were simple but delicious, and the air hummed with a quiet domesticity that felt both unfamiliar and deeply comforting.
When they finished, Roxy pushed back her chair, her eyes bright. "Parents will take me to school together," she declared, her gaze fixed on both Shu and Raven.
Shu hesitated for a fraction of a second, surprised by Roxy's request, by the word "parents." But Roxy's hopeful eyes were fixed on her, and she couldn't refuse. She glanced at Raven, a silent question in her eyes. Raven, though slightly taken aback, simply nodded, his gaze meeting hers for a brief, unspoken moment. "Sure, Roxy," he said, his voice warm. "Papa would love to take you to school."
As they piled into Shu's old car, Roxy chattering excitedly in the back seat, Raven felt a surge of… something. Happiness? Surprise? It was definitely good fortune, he thought, letting the feeling settle over him. He glanced at Shu, her brow furrowed slightly as she navigated the morning traffic, but a soft smile playing on her lips. They even picked up Faith, Roxy's best friend, from her corner on the way.
Dropping the girls off at the school gates, the cheerful chaos of children swirling around them, felt like a scene from a life he hadn't known he'd missed. Then, it was just Shu and Raven, driving away in comfortable silence.
"Where should I drop you?" Shu asked finally, breaking the quiet.
Raven's expression shifted, becoming serious. "Shu," he began, his voice low and careful. "Mr. Joe… he's not a good person. You should avoid him."
Shu frowned, confusion clouding her features. "Mr. Joe? Why? Did he do something to you?" She genuinely couldn't recall any interaction with Mr. Joe last night. Her memory was a blank slate.
Raven realized instantly that she remembered nothing. He hesitated, unsure how much to reveal, or even if he should. He decided to let it go, for now. "It's… complicated. Just trust me on this. Steer clear of him."
Shu, still puzzled, shrugged it off. "Okay, okay. Where to?" she repeated.
"Just drop me in front of my old workshop," Raven said, gesturing ahead.
Shu pulled over in front of a slightly dilapidated building, its windows dusty and a faded sign hanging above the door. "Here?"
"Yeah." Raven unbuckled his seatbelt. He wanted to say more, to explain, to warn her properly, but the words seemed to catch in his throat. He just nodded once, a curt farewell, and got out of the car, closing the door with a soft click.
Shu watched him walk away, a strange mix of emotions swirling within her. Concern, curiosity, and something else… something almost… playful? As Raven disappeared inside the workshop, a slow smile spread across her face.
"Raven," she murmured to herself, starting the engine again. "After all these years, you're… remembering me?" Was that… jealousy she detected in his voice? A tiny spark of possessiveness? If it was, she found she liked it. Very much. "Let's see just how jealous you can get, then," she thought, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You tell me to avoid Mr. Joe? I'll talk to him more. Let's see you try and stop me." She chuckled, a low, throaty sound, already envisioning the possibilities.