Multi-Sock and Open RP: The Gang's All Here! ... Minus One

[heymrcrowley]

((Backdated to the day before the annullments. This is the conclusion of this plot which you may or may not remember. I'm officially back now, yay!))

Comments

[awoooo]

Robb was in a tricky spot. On the island he'd been able to let the wolf side take over, for the most part. He hadn't actually had much of a choice -- the others didn't really want to interact with him as a person. And that had been unfortunate, but in a way it hadn't been so bad. He hadn't had to think very much, and he got a lot of fresh air.

Now that he was back, he realized he'd have to change back. People expected things of him, here; he had to behave properly, at least as much as he could, for his family's sake. For the sake of the Stark name. But it was hard to wrench himself out of the habits he'd developed on the island, and hard to make himself think like a human again when he was only half of one to begin with.

When Arya approached, he was standing on the lawn at a loss, wondering just where it was he should be going. He wasn't sure he was up to the challenge of navigating the castle alone, and the men he'd spent most of his time with were both engaged. He would do it if he had to, of course. He was just... working up to it.

But Arya's arrival was a blessing. His eyes lit up and he let out a happy bark when he spotted her, loping to meet her halfway. The scent of the jerky was enticing; he had to struggle not to simply gobble it down right there. He made himself reach out with his hand and take it from hers, inclining his head gratefully. But as for answering her question... He whined softly, looking towards the gate.

[runaway_stark]

"Oh." Not that it was a specific answer, but Robb managed to make it clear that he hadn't been around the school. Yes, that explained it. "You're looking good." As good as he could look.

[awoooo]

Robb suspected that wasn't really true, but he was grateful anyway. He gave what he hoped was an appreciative-sounding noise and nibbled on the jerky. Gods, but that did taste good. He whined again and moved a little closer, holding a hand out to Arya reaching out to touch her shoulder.

[runaway_stark]

Arya smiled a little. She'd been doing it enough lately that it wasn't as strange-feeling as it had once been to do so. She held still and let him touch her, and reached out to--she wasn't sure, scratch behind his ears? Dogs and wolves seemed to like it. Maybe Robb would, too.

[awoooo]

He did, actually -- he had discovered this only recently, but there was this little spot right behind his ear... Er, but, that had been on the island, when he was more wolf than boy. Here, it wasn't appropriate for him to be getting head-scratchies. Especially not from his little sister. He had been King of the North.

He gave her shoulder a quick pat and then pulled back reluctantly, drawing himself up to his full height. He was -- had to be -- Robb, now.

[runaway_stark]

She didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed at him not getting head-skritches from her. On the one hand, he was her brother. On the other, if she didn't really like people touching her now and she had been alive all this time, maybe it was worse for him, having been murdered?

"Have you seen Mother or Father or anyone else yet?"

[awoooo]

Robb was glad to hear that the rest of his family was still there, or at least his mother and father. He shook his head, then gave a questioning bark. In theory, it was supposed to be 'Jon?'

[runaway_stark]

"If you're asking about Jon and Sansa, they're around somewhere. Busy, I think. No one else has arrived since the last time I saw you." Which was good, really. If Bran and Rickon showed up in the same condition that Robb had (or more accurately in the same condition as their father had, from the stories she had heard) she didn't think she could handle it.