A Winter Passed (Blacky)

[Phae]

((I got Madelyn's permission to God her a bit in my opening post))

"What do you mean? But I.. but he.." her books they fell. Down onto the stone floor that was her dorm room with Junpei. She was tembeling. Everything in her life was changing one after the other and she was finding it hard pressed to keep up.

She looked at the blonde headed girl that had the most sorrow on her shoulders Phaedra had ever seen and she felt bad for her reaction but she knew no other way to do this. Her best friend, the one that knew EVERYTHING about her had just.. just died. What was she going to do now? Who in the world would she confide in. There was.. just no one.

She was hurt, hurt that he hadn't told her. Hurt that she hadn't gotten to say goodbye. Hurt more that he had left her and this poor quiet girl alone. Madelyn turned on her own accord and made her silent way out. Phaedra stood there note in hand he girl hadn't spoken a word to her but she knew that she could speak. She had sung the most beautiful song during the battle and spoken to Jonathan but now.. now she would never hear the name Rosenrot again and it tore her to pieces.

She was about to sink but no.. no she didn't want Junpei right now. Didn't want to hear him tell her it would be allright. Her best friend in all the world was gone.. it was NOT going to be allright. She didn't want to hear anyone say those words to her right now. Grief over came her. She had a connection to Jonathan that few had. They had found that connection one night when she was ill and he was there for her and since then they had been close. She still held the metal cross in her hand, the one Madelyn had been told to give to her the one that he wore all the time along with his dogtags. The one she had seen that day they had been together. They day she learned to dreamwalk and the day that he had given her sleep.

She couldn't take it anymore. She ran. Ran as if there were no tomorrow so much coming down on her shoulders all at once she couldn't take it anymore. She ran as if the devils of hell were after her and in her mind it might as well have been. She grabbed her sword she needed... to do something.. work this out. She knew she wasn't supposed to but.. but she had to. She wasn't supposed to over work herself and she was supposed to be eating. But she had thrown those to the wind and now there goes another rule. She ran down the hall her muscular legs carrying her best not let anyone stop her but.. but she had to get to the training grounds had to now.. had to do something or else..

*OOFF!*

She might snap. She ran right into someone her eyes blurred with tears as she clung to whoever it was and began to cry. Her sword in her hand fell limp to the floor below as she slowly sank to her knees her tears pouring out onto the stone floor. Hard racking sobs that almost made it to where you couldn't breathe. Her small body shook violently with the sobs. But they were silent sobs. She was crying much too hard to make any noise what so ever. In her hand was the cross. Her sword laying beside her and a puddle of tears forming on the stones.

Phaedra Weiss was heartbroken.

[Price]

"And here I thought I told you not to come crying ba-"

What would have usually been a cocky little remark from the one and only Richard Price was swallowed back into his throat, as he finally looked down and saw the pain and hurt in Phae's eyes.

Price had just exited his own dorm room, about to head (as usual) towards the training grounds for a workout, or perhaps a spar. However, as Luck would have it, he had barely made it out of his own room before he was very bodily run into, and then gripped and cried into, by Phaedra Weiss, the girl he had spent one wonderful day and night with, giving her the strength she had needed... until she decided to return straight to the one that had caused all her the pain she had to begin with. Price's arms wrapped around Phae instinctively, all those old feelings he had no qualms letting the world know returning in great amounts as he held her close.

"Nevermind that, Lucky. Chin up, look at me, dear. What's going on?"

Once again, Phae was in the arms of that very Price that few others would ever get the chance to see. The way he spoke made it sound as if he truly cared about the girl, which, of course, he did. With one hand, he took her chin with the top of his fist and gently moved her head up to look at him, meeting her tear-stained blue eyes with his own deep brown ones. Whatever it was, Price could obviously tell that she was very, VERY upset.

"You going to be okay, Phaedra?" He suddenly asked, even more concerned than he had been just a few moments ago.

[Phae]

Phaedra's body shook with her sobs. She was trembeling and one hand was clenched so tightly around that cross that it was imprinted in her hand. She heard that voice and she froze only crying harder. The man.. this man .. he was the one she had told Winklewood about the only other person that knew about him was Jonathan.. and he was why she was crying. She heard him change his tack they still cared for each other she knew that and deep down it killed her daily she had been forced to make a choice.

He put his arms around her and she thrust herself there completely. Her face into his neck and cried as he held her there. She didn't know what to say he told her to look at him and she merely shook her head. He shouldn't see her like this.. shouldn't get to .. not like this. She looked like hell, felt even worse, and what was more there was a lot of problems between the two and all she wanted right now was him to hold her like he had that night. Coaxing her and telling her what she needed to hear. It was something Blacky was good at and that was what she truly needed.

He didn't like that she wouldn't look at him and she would have smiled at that because it was just so him, had her heart not been mashed. He lifted her chin up to look into those brown eyes, like a teddy bear, she had always thought and she trembled as he asked her if she would be okay. She shook her head no she couldn't speak not yet she could barely breathe and as hard as she was crying she was starting to have dry heaves.. dry why? Because she was barely eating anymore and he would know if he payed attention. He always did.

She clung to him. That coat the one he wore all the time and the one that he got named for. It smelled just like him. Hell he smelled like him and that was comforting right now. She clung to him because she didn't want to be alone as much as she tried to convince herself she did. She nuzzled into his neck her hot face right there and her hot tears dripping down his neck. On top of her sword that lay on the floor still was a piece of paper that Madelyn had given her..

-Dearest Phaedra,

My husband, Jonathan, the one that you were close with. Has recently passed on. I know that it will be hard for you but this cross he wanted you to have. His legacy to you. I believe he loved you in his own way. You always made him smile and up til his death you and I were the only ones that could. I hate to bear this news to you but it has to be done. Please stay in touch...
Madelyn-

[Price]

It seemed Phae had been struck mute by this new occurence, if only temporarily. At least, Price hoped it was only temporary, as, for one, he didn't know what kind of crazy magical things went on under his nose at this academy, but more importantly, he knew he'd just miss the girl's voice, were she to remain speechless.

She could only shake her head and bury herself into his coat, into him, leaving Price looking for the answers that she, seemingly, would not, or could not give.

It was about then that the piece of paper caught his eye.

Laying atop her sword, which she had dropped in a hurry upon running into him, was a small notepad-sized piece of paper, with writing on it. Unwilling to release the girl in his arms, but curious as to the content of the paper, especially considering it likely held the secret to Phae's despair, if not simply a clue to, Price closed his eyes a moment and aligned his Chi with that of the paper, and the paper became like an extension of his own body. He wanted it to come to his hand, and it did, quickly and obediently, as his eyes opened and he flicked the paper up to eye level to read.

... Damn.

The single expletive was the only thing that could come to Price's mind; the only word he could use to accurately describe the situation. Price had never met this particular person, but from the note, it was quite obvious he meant something important to the girl. Deciding that the hallways really wasn't the most appropriate place for this, Price extended his leg behind him and kicked the slightly cracked-open door to his dorm room fully open, gently leading her into it afterwards.

"Come on Lucky... sit down for a spell, get yourself back together, and we can talk about this, alright?"

[Phae]

She knew that they couldn't stay in the hallway forever but she didn't want to leave Blacky now that he was holding her and comforting her he was what she wanted in this moment of grief. He kicked open his door and she looked up at him. She nodded softly as he told her to come in and sit down but she didn't want to leave him.

His room was like it had always been. It was like home to her. Phaedra was not a clean girl by heart she was a cluttery kind of girl and so when she entered Price's room of teenagedom it was perfect. She pulled him down to the bed rather forcefully as she was a very strong girl now. And she sat down in his lap curling up her sword now lay on the bed beside them.

"Blacky." she whispered softly as she snuggled up into him. Her hand had not stopped clenching the cross but he wouldn't know it was a cross. her other hand loosened it's grip on his jacket. She looked up into Price's eyes and touched his face.

"I miss you." she whispered. She hadn't seen him since that day. When she had told him she had to go with Jun, to see if he really had what it took.

She didn't tell him yet about what happened or anything. She just lay there in his arms as she finally began to stop crying. She was out of tears and her stomach hurt rather badly. She closed her blue eyes as she leaned her head on his shoulder. She did miss him. He was someone she cared very deeply for. She nuzzled into his neck gently as her hand stroked the other side of his neck softly.

"He's gone.. ... my best friend.. .. the one that knew everything about me.. the one.. the one that knew about you. He died. He's gone and now.. now I don't know who to confide in about everything." she said as tears leaked down her cheeks but she didn't sob or really cry this time.

[Price]

If Price's heart hadn't melted the moment the girl had run into him just few moments earlier, seeing her like this did the trick just now. After he was very forcefully pulled from his standing position to sitting on the bed, which he mentally smirked at, since, despite Phae's emotional weakness of the moment, her physical strength was as impressive as ever. It wasn't long before she hopped into his lap, however, blubbering into his neck and saying nothing for many long moments, but not before telling him the three words he'd hope he'd hear from her.

"I miss you."

Price couldn't help it as a little sigh escaped his lips.

"Missed you too, Lucky. Whole hell of a lot." He spoke the words quietly and gently, still knowing how fragile the girl was at the moment.

Finally, she stopped crying, and just buried herself into Price as much as possible, letting him know exactly what had happened, and in her own words. Price's heart sank as she explained to him how her best friend, who apparently, knew about him, was now dead. Even though the boy, being as cocky and better-than-thou towards the rest of the world as he was, had never been any good at consoling people, especially in situations like this, he sucked it up and did the best he could.

"It's okay, Phae. He... I mean... this guy was obviously something important to you... right? So he... yeah. He'll always live on... in your heart and stuff... yeah."

Wanting to slap himself, Price decided to fall back upon stroking and patting her back lightly and reassuringly.

"Don't cry, Lucky. I'm sure that he wouldn't have wanted you to."

[Phae]

He had missed her too. She smiled softly through the tears at this news. She couldn't help it. She had wondered if he did or if he had moved on without her like she had tried to without him. She kissed his neck gently and softly twice. Her lips near melding to his skin. She sighed softly. He tasted just like always something she couldn't name but too something she couldn't get enough of.

He began to try to console her and she listened. Though he probably wasn't used to this kind of thing he was probably right. Jonathan hated tears always had and here she was crying like a baby in Blacky's warm arms. His hand began stroking up and down her back and she closed her eyes letting the soothing sensations take over her. She nuzzled into him gently and smiled. This was something she had missed. Blacky. Everything about him she loved and she had missed him so very much and now.. now he said he missed her too and her heart leapt. She didn't know what this meant but she knew she wasn't going back home any time soon.

"Blacky.. can I.. can I stay here for a while? If I get annoying you can send me home but I.. I don't want to leave. I want to stay right here in this spot. In your arms I.. I don't want to go home." she whispered.

"I wish.. we could go somewhere. Somewhere together. Earth, or on a picnic.. somewhere so that.. like before I can smile. I can.. be happy and carefree. I wish I could see you fight in one of your tournaments and I wish.. wish that I could.. stanf by your side."

She closed her eyes and stayed close letting his hand run up and down her small back. Her blue jeaned legs shifted to straddle him and make herself more comfortable and both arms went around his neck. She tried to open her hand to look at the cross but as hard as she had been gripping it she couldn't let it go now. Gently she undid her own fingers and took the cross from them and looked at it dangling in the sunlight and then.. she nuzzled into Blacky.

[Price]

Price's words seemed to have worked, at least to some degree, as Phae's cries slowly began to quiet down and kissed his neck, softly and gently, a few times, causing a distant, happy smile to reach his own face, even despite himself. Certainly, he hadn't been trying to conceal his feelings for the girl all this time, or pretend that he didn't still want her, but even so, just being here with her made him fall back into things faster than he could have ever imagined.

Suddenly, and surprisingly, Phae dropped the bomb. Quietly nuzzling against him as he held her close, soothing her from her pains, Phae asked the question of all questions: If she could stay with him for a while. This brought a mental eyebrow raise from Price, for he couldn't help but wonder why, if she needed all this consolation, she didn't return to her boyfriend, but, at the same time, there was no way he was going to turn such an offer down.

"Yeah, sure Lucky," Price said, giving her a little short, tight squeeze in affirmation. "You can stay as long as you like. And if you wanna take a trip back ground-side with me, I'm sure I can arrange it. Talk to my father, see what kind of tournaments are going on, get a little exercise while we're down there. Heh, could be fun, y'know?"

Using his Chi TK once more, Price focused on the door's Chi flow and synchronized with it, closing the door with his spirit alone. After that, he wrapped his arms around Phae, holding her close and moving her from his lap to the bed. After which, he tucked her in, smiling down at her.

"But right now, you need some rest. I know, I know, it's still early, but you're still a wreck. You completely tired yourself out just from crying alone. Just... just lay here a bit, I'll make us something to munch on for when you wake up, alrighty?"

[Phae]

Phaedra felt him squeeze her against him and tell her that it was allright if she stayed a bit. She smiled she didn't want to leave yet she wanted to be right here for now it was comfy and safe and she missed Blacky. It had been a month since she had seen him and that was much too long. He even told her they could go to ground side for a tournament and she gasped and looked up at him as he shifted her.

"Really? I want to go so badly. I think it would be fun like a vacation. I want see what you do and what your life was like before you came here. I want to know all of that." she told him excitedly.

He lay her down on the bed gently and tucked her in with great care. Smiling down at her he told her that he was going to make them some munchies while she got some rest. He was right that she had worn herself out crying today. She knew it too. But she couldn't help it. The news of Jonathan's death had hit her hard, harder than she would have thought and it was so unexpected. She sat up for a moment and looked into his eyes. She wanted.. wanted to.. but.. but she wasn't allowed.. not allowed to kiss him. It would be going against Junpei and .. and she was giving Jun another chance.

But before she knew it her lips had met with his in a soft sweet kiss. Her heart leapt up in her throat and her hand went to his cheek gently as she stroked it. Forgive me.. Junpei The kiss lasted several moments before she pulled back blushing softly. She touched her bottom lip with her fingertips and a slow smile crossed her face. She bit her bottom lip and giggled softly as she lay back down on the bed.

"Goodnight, Rich." she said softly as she closed her eyes and nuzzled into his pillow. The cross was in her hand and her eyes were closed her red lashes on her cheeks as she began to fall asleep. "And.. thank you."

[Price]

Price smiled at her as she spoke her excitement at his idea. Surely, going groundside with Phae could be fun, and a good way for them both to get away. From the looks of things, it seemed the younger girl was full up on stress enough as is, and could use a vacation from the rest of her world. As far as Price went? Well, getting a chance to go kick some butt is ALWAYS appreciated, and to be able to do so with Phaedra at his side? Priceless. Pardon the pun.

Before he could say anything more, however, she stared into his eyes longingly, and despite all attempts to the contrary, all the social rules staying you can't, you shouldn't, don't let her, he knew what was coming. And when Phaedra Weiss leaned and kissed him, gently and lovingly, he did nothing to stop it. As her hand went to his cheek, his went to her neck, holding it lightly for the duration of the kiss. As it broke, he locked eyes with her again, his so full of contentedness and happiness that he barely even looked like the Price the rest of Arcane had come to know.

"Night, Phaedra. You'll always be welcome here."

With that, he went to his little kitchnette to start up some hot dogs.

[Phae]

He had kissed her back. The feelings were still mutual and that was all she needed to know. She was happy. For once in a while there was just something about Blacky that made her smile and made her feel at ease. She lay on his pillow in his room inhaling his sweet scent and she smiled. This was nice. She missed him and she missed this room.

Phaedra heard his words before she fell asleep and she smiled. She fell right to sleep the cross going limp in her hand falling to the pillow beside her head as she slept. It felt so good to be here where she knew she was safe and she knew that he wouldn't make her leave until she was ready. She slept peacefully on her side of the bed, the side she had been given that night.

She dreamed of that night, the night they had watched the stars together. That night that she had fallen asleep in his arms under the bright stars and the wonderul feeling of his arms around her over the night. Waking up how they had eaten breakfast together. She still had his shirt. Would never give it away nor lose it. It was more special to her than he could ever know. She smiled in her sleep as she thought of these things letting him decide when it was time for her to wake.

[Price]

With the water boiling and the hot dogs placed into the pot, Price was now free to do whatever he wanted to for the next few minutes. Thus was the reason why, in what few times he did cook, he tended to go for the foods that only needed boiling to prepare. It was quick, it was simple, it required hardly any technical know-how in order to pull off. In just a few minutes, he'd have six delicious hotdogs ready to eat. He would've put the whole package in, but he knew Phae well enough to know he'd be hard-pressed to even get her to finish one of them.

Of course, he intended her to eat two.

While the girl slept, Price crept back into the main room, smiling down at her with a goofy grin on his face. She was so cute when she slept; the boy couldn't help but appreciate the sudden turn of events. It was only minutes before that the girl had been hysterically crying her eyes out, yet now, here she was again, quiet and serene. He shook his head, before moving on to other tasks. While he enjoyed watching her sleep, he was feeling just a little awkward. After all, not only was that a slightly stalkerish thing to do, at least in Price's head, but he also couldn't shake the fact that, whether he liked it or not, Phae was still with Junpei. He was not hers to watch.

At least, not yet.

The thought brought a wry grin to Price's face as he casually messed with his DVD collection, straightening them out somewhat until he checked the clock to notice how much time had elapsed. He hadn't set a timer, too worried about waking the girl up. Quietly, he took the 'dogs out of the pot and poured the water carefully down the drain of his sink. Pulling out the hot dog buns, he munched on one quietly, leaning against his counter. Phae was sleeping so soundly, he could wait a bit before he roused her.

---- A few minutes later...---


"Hey... hey Lucky..." Price said, gently shaking Phaedra in attempt to pull her from slumber. "Wake up Lucky! I made hot dogs!"

[Phae]

For once in two months.. Phaedra did not dream. It was an odd feeling for the young redhead to wake without having a dream or nightmare. Perhaps she hadn't slept long enough to reach the REM sleep required for that but either way she had not. She heard her name and smiled before her eyes opened. Only one person called her that and if she was still with him then it had really happened. She was in Price's room and when she opened her blue eyes and smiled softly up at him.

He was so excited about his little hot dogs that she chuckled softly and rubbed her eyes in a cute way. Hot dogs. Meat. She rarely ate meat anymore. It was one of her many issues that seemed never ending yet always getting new ones. She sighed softly knowing he was going to make her eat and so she was just going to have to do the best she could. She looked up at him and who could deny that beautiful happy excited face the pleasure of a hot dog.

"You're so cute." she said with a chuckle as she sat up on her own stretching. She put her arms over her head and stretched out her shoulders yawning. "Your bed is so comfy, I'm staying." she chuckled again.

The cross fell from the pillow and hit her hand as she put them down and she looked over. Gently and with great care she slipped the cross around her neck and shut the clasp letting it hang around her neck now.

"Can we.. eat like we always do?" she asked looking up at him hopefully.

She knew that he was thus far the only person that could make her eat. The only one that made her smile and forget everything. Instead of adding to her problems he helped her put them aside and live life without them. He was the one that could make her eat and make her just well.. feel like a sixteen year old again.

[Price]

"Heh, suit yourself, Lucky," Price said with a smirk as she finally awoke from her slumber, told him how cute he was, which, much to the expectations of most, was met with nothing more than a knowing wink, and then said she wasn't moving from his bed.

With that, he went back to the 'dogs over by the stove and put two in buns and set them on a plate, and then put the last two on buns as well, keeping them on the original plate. Opening the microwave, he took out the chili he'd prepped as well, smothering the dogs with it before sprinkling shredded cheddar cheese atop all of it. Carrying the plates back in, Price sat one before Phae with a grin, setting a fork alongside it.

"Chili Cheese dogs, ready for ingesting!" He laughed a bit at his own lame joke as he sat down next to her, putting his plate before him as well, sitting cross-legged on his bed. When Phae asked if they could eat like they always did, Price's grin turned back into that warm, real smile, as he wordless took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together. However, after the initial moment, Price's cocky smirk was back on his face as he pulled out his next little zinger.

"...only if you eat everything on your plate."

With one last wide, toothy grin, Price grabbed his fork with his right hand and started chowing down.

[Phae]

Phaedra smiled when he basically said she could stay as long as she wanted. Well that was good because she wanted to stay the night though she hadn't told him that. It was the first night without a dream and she wondered if it had something to do with Blacky or if it was just being able to put so much aside when she came in here. There was no past bad history to deal with it was just her and Blacky the best together.

He brought her chilli cheese dogs and she nearly lost her nonexistant breakfast right there. Oh God Oh God. Calm down Phae you can do this. Hot dogs and chilli thats it. We can.. eat.. half yeah a half of one and that should be enough. Oh God if he doesn't hold my hand soon I'm going to lose it. But soon the comfoting warmth of him came his strong large hand holding her smaller strong one and she looked up at him returning the smile.

Then he dropped the bomb and she went pale. Bot.. Both of them. Oh God shoot her now this was going to take all day.... OH! I get it. She giggled softly and leaned over kissing his cheek. He was a great guy and she .. well she loved him though she knew she wasn't supposed to it didn't change the fact that it did. So taking her left hand and grabbing her fork she sighed and cut her first bite.

"So.. so wrong." she muttered as she took a bit and nearly gagged.

She clenched his hand as she closed her eyes and tried to not concentate on anything but getting it down. the chilli tasted great it was the texture of the hot dog that was getting to her it felt like .. oh she didn't want to think about that. She swallowed and opened her eyes slowly as her hand slowly unclenched his and went back to merely holding it. She looked over at him and lay her forehead on the top of his shoulder right at the peak as she let her stomach settle for a moment.

"Blacky.. I .. I don't .. want to leave." she whispered as a single tear fell from her right eye. "Is that.. so wrong?" she asked.

She didn't wait for an answer but if he gave one she would listen. She went back to her hot dog and took a deep breath as she took another this time smaller bite and began to chew slowly concentrating on the food instead of the nausea that came associated with it.