[FINISHED] Out of The Woods

[Vyn]

The trip from Avington to Corvistowne seemed to last forever.

Seki found himself quiet more often than not, but Rocky cheerfully filled the silence while the little feline followed loyally along.

Seki was cheerful, eager to be home again, and simuntaneously sick to his stomach with fear. What would everyone think? Would they be angry at him for his absense? Should he tell them the horrible things he'd endured? No... He knew the way they always looked at him when Rindal bullied him and Seki could only imagine how much worse it would be if they really knew what had happened.

That would just be too much. He'd go home and try to pretend nothing happened, that everything was fine.

After a while of traveling through the city, Seki meekly glanced over to Rocky and fidgeted a great deal before managing to speak. "Where are we going now, Mr. Rocky?"

[Kari Muffin]

Rocco was almost prancing as he walked down the street cheerily humming to himself. He was actually going to meet the more than famous Ophelia! And he was in the company of a nice young person... though Seki was awful fidgety. The raccoon gave the young feline a bright smile.

"We're going to go to your father's house of course! You said you wanted to return to Corivistowne, and I imagine her house is closer than mine, plus I sadly wouldn't have room for you. I have a rather small establishment and sleep in the attic. Only room for me in my animal form too." Rocky shrugged. It made sense to go to his father's house as soon as possible, especially when Rocky only had accommodations for himself. Having Seki sleep on the couch was a bad idea, and the last time Rocky slept on the couch he managed to break it to some degree.

Right focus. "Do you want to stop at a resturant or some such something before we meet your farther--assuming you want me to stay that long. I'm sorry I've been doing a lot of assuming."

[Vyn]

Seki perked up and his smile became considerably more genuine. He really was a nervous creature, but that was for a very good reason. Especially after his trip into The Wood. He just wanted to go home and forget everything, if that was even possible anymore.

"O! T-That's great, I can't wait to see them!" The feline's excitement was almost too clear in his ears and it made the contrast of how long they'd been apart seem all the more real. "I-It's been a while."

The mention of food had him fidgeting again, rubbing his hands together in a display of nervous tension that very rarely seemed to escape him. "Oh, n-no thank you... I'm not too hungry at the moment." Oh please, oh please, he hoped that the raccoon wouldn't press his lack of appetite. He didn't want to burden the male's pocket, so to speak...and if he could avoid eating, he'd take every opportunity. "I guess I'm just too excited." He smiled weakly.

"You're welcome to stay as long as you like, I'm sure. Dad always appreciates company, especially the company of fellow scientists."

[Kari Muffin]

"Well, I can understand that! I imagine your father would be willing to feed you when you're hungry." Personally Rocky had butterflies in his stomach. He had really met someone related to Ophelia? And he was really on the path to her house? This was all just so unreal. And he had managed to meet Seki by chance! Speaking of which... maybe they should stop to eat. He was looking a bit thin... that couldn't be healthy.

It took a while for Rocky to find the house, even with Seki's direction. Honestly after learning to fly his sense of direction had improved--but not on the ground. After a frustrating time they finally came to the front door.

The raccoon knocked. Then he looked back to Seki. "I forgot to ask, is she expecting you anytime soon or Is this just a big surprise?" He probably should have asked before he knocked.

(( OOC: >_> *posts while watching a movie in class* take that art history. ))

[Vyn]

Seki nodded enthusiastically. This was true and so much more comforting than eating in public. At home no one would stare at him while he ate and no one would complain when he would sneak food to Mocha. The feline sighed a little, looking slightly cheered by this prospect.

When at last they arrived, however, Rocky's question caught him off guard. Was Ophelia expecting him? No... Not at all. He'd been gone so long, they must have all forgotten about him by now. Or even assumed that he'd done something awful like run away and forget about them. Rindal probably told them all that that was what had happened anyway.

Tensing anxiously, he glanced up at the door and shook his head. "It'd be a surprise." He admitted weakly, absently drawing back behind Rocky as the door finally swung open.

"Mm, hello?" Ophelia's stood at the door, expression slightly confused and heavily exhausted. She hadn't been sleeping properly. Too much work to do, too little time -- Rocky could understand that. "Rocky, wasn't it? I read about your research." She smiled, eyes grazing his wings before falling to the figure that lingered behind him. Was that... "SEKI!?" Her voice spiked in surprise and relief as the doe rushed outside and swept the boy into a tight embrace.

Seki squeaked in shock, nearly flinching from his father but quickly melting back into her. "Dad! C-careful, m-my bindings!"

Ophelia didn't listen, though she managed to avoid them nevertheless. "By the suits, Seki! Where have you been!? It's been months! W-We were all so worried about you!" She was on the verge of tears but there was simply no way she'd let herself cry right now, not in front of a guest. She'd save the tears and the emotions for just the family.

[Kari Muffin]

Rocco blinked. Wait? How on earth did someone famous know about him? His confusion wasn't cleared up by the sudden spike in the woman's voice. He watched as she rushed to hug her son.

Oh this was an awkward family moment that he shouldn't be around. He was intruding on someone's private moment and it just made him feel like an idiot. On the bright side no one could see him blush. Biting the inside of his lip he turned around to look at the pair.

"I-I think I should go then. You two seem to have a lot of catching up to do, and I don't want to be in your way. I'm sure you have other plans to, so I should get going." He choked back a nervous laugh as he laced his hands together before moving past the pair. Even if they invited him back he just didn't want to be in between them and the doorway.

[Vyn]

Seki mewed sadly, squirming anxiously in his father's grip. This was awkward. He knew she'd ask. He knew they'd all ask. He didn't want to talk. Not to them, not about this!

"Dad... Please..." His voice was so full of quiet misery and pleading that Ophelia couldn't help but withdraw. What happened to him? He was such a vulnerable boy...and... so thin? She nearly did a double take when she realized how much he'd fleshed out. It wasn't a substantial difference, but he didn't look nearly as bone-thin as he had before.

Had someone been feeding him?

The doe's gaze briefly fluttered to Rocky, a brow raising as she reeled in her emotions for the raccoon-taur's sake. Had he been feeding him??? If so, then she ought to find out more about this raccoon and his relations with her son.

"Oh! No, it's alright." Ophelia glanced at Seki and received a reassuring nod and a hopeful look. Whatever was going on, he didn't want to confront it right now. Sighing to herself, she focused fully on Rocky. "Why don't you join us? It's almost time for dinner and I'm sure you two must be hungry?"

[Kari Muffin]

"Uh..." Rocky glanced at the pair. He was hungry, and he did have a long way to go to get home. It wouldn't hurt to stay for a bit would it? And it was the successful scientist Ophelia who was offering him to stay for dinner. He nodded. "Thank you so much, I would love to stay for dinner if it won't put a dent in your plans."

He smiled. He may have had diamond charm but sometimes he just felt awkward. At least Seki and his father were having a happy reunion. It was a nice surprise for the pair of them, he guessed.

Oh wait. He had a question before they got too far into the house or anything like that. "So you... know about my research Miss Ophelia? I'm actually surprised someone who specializes in genetics would know about my work in the area of flight."

[Vyn]

Ophelia grinned widely, glad to hear Rocky was staying. She had only heard of him on a scientific level but she was interested in finding out more about him.

"You're very welcome. It'll be no problem at all." The doe moved forward, beckoning them both inside and trying hard not to flash too much focus on Seki. The boy was terribly shy and Ophelia had found it was often best to just let him join conversations when he was comfortable.

Rocky's question paused her in the doorway and she turned back toward the boys, her smile growing to light up her eyes as well.

"Well, I do keep tabs on the local journals. I like to know who's who and what's going on -- it's good for business and the like --, but I also found a personal interest in your line of research. Flight in and of itself is quite fascinating, but I'm particularly curious about your wings. I'd love to discuss it over dinner?"


In the background, Seki sighed with relief and found himself smiling a little as he listened to the conversation going on around him.

It was all so...normal.

It was comfortable, familiar... and yet, in the same instance, it retained an almost alien quality after so many months of isolation from all things that should have been 'normal'. He could almost predict each word out of Ophelia's mouth and yet it still seemed wrong somehow.

Something was missing. Not in Ophelia, but in himself and the growing internal struggle sent a shiver running down his spine.

[Kari Muffin]

Rocky couldn't help but feel joyful over the whole ordeal. After all someone famous had actually read about his work in flight. Ground breaking work at that. As long as she didn't ask where he got the wings everything would be fine. "Yes, I think talking over dinner would be fantastic."

And a real dinner would be fantastic too. Rocky could have almost skipped as he followed Ophelia with Seki besides him. For a moment he briefly wondered what this looked like. He hoped no assumptions were made on any accounts. He barely knew Seki, but from their traveling together he was quiet boy who didn't eat all that much.

Well, he was home. It seemed that he'd been gone for quite sometime. How had he really ended up in Avington, Rocky hadn't bothered him about it. The raccoon mentally shrugged it off. He would ask some other time perhaps?