Best Charles/Raven thread ever
[from here]
[calling Sean, hoping for an answer]
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[reaches way over the bar to pick up the phone that's ringing, sounds of laughter in the background as he tries to answer seriously as possible] ......I know what you're ~thinking~. [Charles is drunk, to be sure]
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[At first, Raven is completely and totally confused by the sound of someone else's voice on the line. And then she snaps to again.] You-- wait... Charles? [Raven presses the phone tighter to her ear so she can hear him better.] What are you-- No, nevermind that, where are you?
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[at first he sounds delighted] Rrrraven!
[...then it sinks in and he sobers slightly] Raven?? Raven! Uh...hi.
...no place. Where are you? [I'm not out drinking!!]
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[Raven stops, assesses his tone and the slurring, and then purses her lips.] I am at home. And you are out drinking.
Why didn't you invite me? [She might be a little hurt.]
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[frustrated noise through the phone at being found out] ...because there's girls here, Raven. Girls I plan on talking to and making a fool of myself in front of. [snickers, despite himself]
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[She chuckles and rolls her eyes, leaning back in her chair.] But I could have helped you make a fool out of yourself! You know I'm good at it.
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[leaning sloppily against the bar, phone to his ear] Prrescis'ly. I don't need any help....I can't take you on all of my dates, Raven. [he's teasing her back]
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You don't have a date yet. [She points out, tapping the mouthpiece on the phone with a finger.] You have to have plans with a specific person for it to be a date. You're just going dumpster diving. Please make sure whatever girl you bring home doesn't leave her clothes all over the living room this time? I hate cleaning up after them.
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You have no faith in me and my ability to be charming. [this is why he was flying solo tonight]
[raises his hand even though she won't see it] I solemnly swear to not bring home a girl from a dumpster...or one that takes off her clothes. Any other unhappy restrictions you wish to place on my nightly activities, marm?
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Charles. [Her voice is chiding, but not without softness and a bit of amusement.]
Just be careful, please. That's all I really want. [She knows that he's more than equipped to take care of himself, but she always preferred to actually be there. To make sure he didn't make a complete ass of himself. Or that someone else doesn't make a complete ass out of him. Either way. She cared for her own, and she took pride in it.]
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[he harumphs, trying for as sober a voice as he can muster] I promise, I'll be careful. Ok?
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Yeah, I know. That's what you always say. [Raven says mockingly, sticking her tongue out at the phone.] Now, go have fun. I'll be waiting up.
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Right-o...if I'm not back by six, send the calvary after me. Ta! [hanging up and going back to the drinking game a few of the lads at the bar were working on]
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If you're not back by six, I'm coming after you myself, and it won't be pretty. [Raven does not do well staying up all night.... and he totally hung up on her.]
Jerk. [She glares at the phone, and then tries to dial Sean again.]
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a little later~
[it's six thirty a.m. and Charles hasn't come back yet...passed out on a table, having won the last five drinking games and chatted up ten very nice girls, but he was way too inebriated to ask them to come home with him]
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[A very sleep-deprived, grumpy Raven has walked all the way from their flat by Oxford to get to the pub, and pushes open the bar doors, her eyes skimming over the room until they fall on the unconscious form of Charles. At this point, she's not sure whether to be worried or angry, and she tosses a frigid glare at the bartender for not cutting her brother off.]
Charles. [She runs up behind him and shakes his shoulder to see if he responds.] Charles, get up.
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[Charles mumbles as he's shaken, the only clear words being "floor" and "penguins", his arms moving along the table surface. When she finally gets him to lift his head to look at her, there's a very wide grin on his face, his eyes red rimmed] Heeeey.
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Well, you're completely trashed, but at least you're alive. [She mutters, tipping Charles so that he's leaning back in the chair instead of forward on her arm, and she sits down in the seat next to him.] Charles? Can you hear me?
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[he lets her sit him up with an oof sound as his back contacts the back of the booth he's sitting in]
[sloppily annoyed] Yes, YES, I can hear you p'fectly...m'psychic you know... [smiling to himself now, it takes another moment or two for him to realize why Raven is here in the first place] ....ohhh.
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[Raven whaps him softly -- he's probably got a killer headache without her making it worse -- on the head with some rolled up papers that she's carrying in one hand, and groans.] Yes, "ohhh"! I've been worried sick about you all night.
[She lowered her voice, giving the bartender a wary look.] And don't go shouting to the world that you're 'psychic' either. That's a big slip-up, Charles. Doesn't bare thinking about, remember?
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[he's got too much scotch and shots in his system to feel that just yet so he just gives a soft whine at being whapped for no reason] Psssssychic~... [being a brat, it's a hard word to say when you're drunk and it just makes him grin more to see her annoyed]
[finger up as if making a point] Do you know...I broke a p'rsonal record for shots tonight? 20, two zero.
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Well, you're intelligent, but no one said you were smart. [Her sarcasm starts bleeding through again when his brattiness surfaces. Not at all impressed by the shot count.]
Come on. [She takes him by the arms and scoots out of the booth, tugging him with her.] I'm going to take you home before you yabber on to Sherley behind the bar there that you're a mutant and you're going to take over the world with your mind.
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[stumbling after her, holding to her arm to stay upright] Who'd want to take over the world with their mind anyway? Stoopid idea, glad I didn't think of it... [and now he's babbling but at least he's mobile]
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That's not the point. [Raven's back to muttering hateful things about her brother and his drinking habits for now, her arm wrapped around his and hefting him out the door and into the street.]
You know, sometimes you are so much more trouble than you're worth. [She shakes the papers she's carrying at his face, irritably.] You realize you have a guest lecture to do in three hours, yes? The class starts at 10, and you're still drunk as a skunk.
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[Charles rubs one hand across his eyes, ending on the bridge of his nose as he relies on Raven to keep him from running into anything] Wilson is covering the lecture...I'll be in class on time, don't worry. [even this drunk, he could still remember his schedule, no easy feat] Few hours sleep...coffee...
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Well that's good at least-- Step down. [She's very proficient in drunken-Xavier directions, and she steps off the curb to cross the street, pulling him along with her.] I'll get you home, and then you need to at least change before you fall over onto the bed. Although, I highly -- step up -- don't recommend sleep.
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[following her directions to step up, his head starting to slouch over towards her shoulder, a confused look crossing his face] No sleep?
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It will make you feel sicker. [Raven bumps his head back upright with her shoulder, not missing a beat in their walk or their conversation.] Unless that's something you're willing to put up with. But even then you will have to shower afterward and get dressed, and then head to The Morning Glory for your coffee, and by that time, an hour has gone by, and we are only half-way to the flat, and it's already 7 o'clock. You do the math.
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[mrrfff, of course she was right]
[mumbles] Rather do that then fall asleep in class... [he's done it before, he can do it again, unpleasant as it will be]
[whoa, moving too fast, Charles lets go of Raven to hug a lamppost to get himself to stop walking]
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Whoa, whoa, Charles. Where you do think you're going!? [All but flailing when he leaves her arm, Raven doubles back in an instant to stand behind him at the lamppost, placing a hand on either of his shoulders. When he was at a physical disadvantage like this, she tended to get more overprotective and possessive.]
Are you alright?
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[he has both arms wrapped around the pole like he was afraid of letting go, trying to get the ground to quit shifting on him] You walk too fast... [and he was starting to look a little green around the gills despite his lopsided smile remaining on his face as he looks blearily back at Raven]
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[His greenish hue sets of warning bells in her head, and Raven rubs his back comfortingly, inwardly wishing she could be home and in bed right now... but no.] Oh boy. Okay. We need to get you to a trash can, stat! [She slides herself up under one of his arms, holding it around her shoulders to better support him, and pries him off of the lamppost.]
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[he holds to her instead, managing to get his feet walking again on automatic] Nearly home....I'll make it.... [shoving down those nauseous feelings and not keeping his eyes open, letting Raven do the "driving"]
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[She presses a soft kiss to his temple as they walk, her arms wrapped carefully around his waist, supporting a lot of his dead weight on her hip.] Are you sure? You're so green you're almost blue.
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[hides a burp in one of his fists, ugh never again will he take that many shots in on time] Is it a good color on me? [he manages to get out, crooked smile]
[the stairs leading up to their apartment was going to be an adventure]
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[And adventure that Raven was seriously not looking forward to.] It looks better on me, actually. And that's saying something.
[She hitched him up higher on herself, using the arm over her shoulders as leverage, and turned the corner to get to the stairs up to their flat.] Ready?
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Should try green sometime... [he groans at the staircase but it can't be helped] Don't suppose I could sleep down here on the sidewalk? [nothing for it, he starts dragging himself up with her help]
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[She's got good enough support with his arm that the stairs aren't terrible, but they do have to stop a couple times for her to catch her breath and for him to not be dizzy.] And this is when an elevator would really come in handy.
[But finally, they reach the top of the stairs, and she tips him against the wall to fish her keys out of her purse.]
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[oh hello wall, have you met Charles Xavier? You're his best friend right now....and he slides slowly down the wall, headed for sitting on the floor with his eyes closed]
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[There's a tinkling as Raven pulls the keys from her purse, and her eyes flash over to Charles who's halfway down to the ground already.]
Oh nononononono, you don't. [She takes a hold of his hand and rights him back on his feet again, wrapping her arm around his waist as quickly as possible. She gets to door unlocked and shuffles him inside-- which is difficult since the door frame isn't meant for two people side-by-side.]
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...mrrrf... [he opens his eyes halfway as he's pulled to his feet and helped inside, squeezing through the door with Raven]
[his bedroom is the one on the left but the couch is closer and he's leaning in that direction like a magnet, wanting to lay down so badly]
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[It's a good thing she's got such a good grip on him then, because she tugs him in the direction of his room with sheer force of will.] Bed for you, if you're so intent on sleeping. Coooome on.
[She bumps the bedroom door open with her foot and drags him inside and over to his bed.] Okay, drunkie, sit down. I'll take your shoes.
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[sit down? he's going to fall down instead, sort of an aimed fall onto the bed, smushing his face into the covers and pillow with a happy groan of relief]
...you're too good to me, y'know that? [a telepathic message crawls out at her mind, sounding about as drunk as he is right now]
[and he suspects, the way he feels now, he's going to be skipping class at 10...which is fine, he has a skip available and he already knows what they were going to be discussing]
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[Raven bends down and undoes the laces on his shoes, a small smile on her face when he breaks through their mental barrier. She really didn't mind it as much as she told him she did... just as long as he wasn't snooping around in there.]
Yeah, I know. [Setting his shoes at the foot of his bed, she removed his socks and tucked them inside the shoes, and then used one of his legs to flip him over onto his back.] You should probably skip class today. And I'm going to get your sleep clothes. Okay? You should at least be comfortable.
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[another groan at being flopped over onto his back, this one sounds more painful than anything...beginnings of a hangover. He mumbeles something about being fine with what he has on, throwing an arm over his eyes] ...jus' throw dirt on me and leave flowers....
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Nope. [Raven goes to his dresser and pulls out linen pants and a button down matching top, and then comes back over to him.] Come on. The sooner your changed the sooner you can sleep.
[Coming to the side of the bed, she sits on the edge and undoes the buttons of his dress shirt, managing to get one arm through the sleeve, and then the other, tugging it out from underneath his dead weight.]
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[he tries to preserve what little dignity he has left by at least attempting to sit up and move in the right directions. But the buttons he can't seem to get no matter how many times he tries so he gives up on those] ...if I end up dying from this, you realize you get the house? [he's only half kidding, he knows there's a killer headache on the way]
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[One of Raven's eyebrows arches in mild amusement.] We'll discuss your will when you're dead, okay? Until then, you're still my stupid big brother who needs to get better so he can read to me tonight. [She slips her hands under the edge of his undershirt and drags it off of him over his head, then adjusts the pajama top around behind him, putting his arms through the holes and buttoning him back up.]
Top half done. [Determined sigh!]
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Good. [falls back with a soft WHUMP onto the bed, trying to pull the sheet over him as he turns over, determined to become a cocoon and hope he emerges a butterfly....and not hungover]
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[She grins, amused, and tugs the sheet away.] Not done with the bottom half.
Goofball. [Shaking her head, she takes a deep breath, stealing herself for this bit. She's caught somewhere between not really caring, because she and Charles are best friends, to being weirded out, because he's like her brother... and then there's the little bit of attraction that she might possibly feel for the only stable man in her life... But she tends to ignore that bit for the other two.] Ready? [She's more asking herself than him, but it could work for both.]
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[...and now it's filtering through what she's planning on doing and he hugs the covers around himself tighter] No wait...hold on.... [he's embarrassed enough by his drinking, if she starts stripping his pants off, he might have to give up drinking altogether so that it never happens again]
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[Raven heaves and sigh, and plants her hands on her hips.] You're changing, Charles. Whether I have to do it forcibly or not, it's happening. So. What's it going to be?
[It's not like she hadn't seen him in his underwear before. She's just as soon prefer not to, and that he did it himself. But he didn't seem in the right state to manage it.]
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[No, no, he would never live it down. With his last sober brain cell, he burrows under the covers, turning into a lump. The lump twitches and moves around for a bit and his pants are tossed over the side and out of it. A hand comes out for his pajamas....please?]
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[Raven holds back a fit of laughter watching him spazz out under the covers, and she hugs his PJ pants to her chest while she shakes with concealed amusement. She kicks the pants on the floor, when they fall out of the bed, over to the hamper, and then -- in a juvenile response -- high-fives the hand that's looking for the clean sleep pants. A little giggle escapes her lips.]
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[!! there's a whine of frustration at the low five, his hand spazzing out vehemently in a show of GIMMIE MY PANTS, trying to stretch as far out of the covers as he dares to get them]
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[Raven pulls back, still hugging the pants to her, the giggles fighting their way out of her as Charles' hand wiggles around frantically, bodiless and looking like a naked muppet.] Ask-- [gigglesnort] Be a good hand and ask nicely!
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[more frustrated sounds, not really sounding human due to him being out of it. His hand gives up grabbing at air at her ultimatum and just drops against the side of the bed as if giving up. He didn't have the strength to push himself off this bed, he probably couldn't ask for his pants coherently.
....and the lump doesn't move....for quite a long time. Hm, you sure Charles is alright under there, Raven? Maybe you should get closer to find out]
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[For a moment, Raven just stands and stares at the limp hand, worried. Did he just pass out? If so, should she leave? What if he died? That would be unfortunate. So she inches closer... and then springs onto the mattress with something that sounded a little like a whooping war-cry, landing over him on all fours, pants draped around her neck.]
Charles, you okay?
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[he keeps up the facade to the last minute, despite the yell from Raven pounding against his skull....and the hand snatches the pants right off her neck and dives under the covers with it's prize.]
[Victory is mine!]
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[There's a moment of sheer panic when Charles doesn't respond right away. Her eyes are wide, her heart is pounding, and she's completely convinced she's going to have to call the coppers... Then there's the hand again, in her face, snatching the pants, one of the legs whapping her in the nose.]
Gah! What the-- Charles! [She spends the next couple minutes playing cat and mouse, with him under the covers and her over them, swatting at his body while he tries to change pants.]
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Ow, ow OW!! [he gets louder with each hit, trying desperately to stay covered as he manages to get one leg in his pants....before being too disoriented to stay on the bed from moving around and he tumbles right off onto the floor, taking blanket, Raven, and all]
[laying on the floor on his stomach and face, half in the blanket, half in his pants] .....m'never drinking again... [he's just remembered how nauseous he is and it's trumping the fact he still isn't fully dressed]
[maybe if he stays on the floor, this will just all faaaaade away and be a very strange dream...]
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Charles for peat's sa-- shit! [It just slipped out when she toppled with Charles from the bed, shifting into her blue form on the way down, tangled in a mass of limbs and blankets and... was she still on top of him or was the blanket just really hard?
Nope. That was Charles. Scrambling through the blankets, her hands searched for his face. If he looked half as horrible as he sounded, he probably needed to get to the bathroom, and stat.] Hey... don't get sick on me, love. Not yet. [Finally she finds him underneath all the covers, and pulls them away, noting that the pants didn't quite make it on the other leg. She'd laugh, but it felt inappropriate right now, since Charles was once again a lovely shade of chartreuse.]
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[So long as he doesn't move, he can keep his stomach at bay, resting his head against the shag carpeting and trying some deep breaths. He doesn't trust his outer voice] Do me a favor and don't. move. me. [he can apologize for the boxer shorts later, right now he just doesn't feel up to it]
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[He's clear as day in her head, and Raven instantly backs off, hands in the air, to sit on the floor beside him. Her hip is right next to his head. Makes it easier to stroke his hair, tucking some of it behind his ear.]
Okay... I'll just sit here. Feeling useless. [She thinks at him.]
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[he hates being sick, why does he do this to himself? oh right, it was fun until all of this happened...
...Raven's hand on his hair is comforting though and his nausea finally calms down. He lets out a sigh of relief] ...better...
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I'm glad. [She keeps her hand there, running through his hair. He seems to have relaxed when she started at it.] Now...
[She reaches down and takes the waistband of his pants, picking up his unclothed foot and slipping it into the empty pants leg, and then pulls them up the rest of the way, tying the drawstrings at his waist.] Done.
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[there's an affirmative grunt, glad that that's over with...his eyes sliding shut as the floor is more comfortable than he thought it would be.]
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[Raven, in her blue form, is a bit stronger than average, and she slips her arms underneath his back and his knees, lifting him up off the floor and back onto the mattress with a groan.]
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[He honestly didn't think she could do it but he's grateful she did when he finds himself on the soft bed again]
...thank you... [big blanket thank you for everything was worth the effort to say it aloud]
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Yeah... my back will be killing be in a minute here, though. [She bends down to retrieve the sheets and blankets, throwing them out over the bed and Charles.]
Now scoot over, and I'll read to you.
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Sorry... [he does feel bad about being this irresponsible, or at least he knows he would if he were more awake]
[He groans, half heartedly turning on his side to try and give her room but he doesn't get far. Oh yay, a pillow, he'll be wrapping himself around that now, trying not to think too hard. It hurts to think]
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[Plopping herself down in the space that Charles made for her, Raven reaches over to his nightstand to retrieve the book he set there. Current reading material, as it were... But then she looks over at him, curled around the pillow and trying to ignore life, and she rethinks the reading aloud bit. That might hurt more than help.]
Do you want me to stay? [She sets the book back on the stand and lays down, turning onto her side, and hugging her brother from behind.]
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[Charles really wasn't in the mood to be read to, that would just keep him awake. And he really, really wanted sleep to take him, the sooner the better. He'd only just gotten comfortable enough again, his eyes closed and he hums an up-down note, not really an answer to her question but a sign he did hear her say something]
[He really didn't need to be held, but he was used to Raven using him for a pillow before so he doesn't object. He's too tired to...and that headache was starting to come back for seconds]
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Okay. [She's going to take his non-response as a 'yes'... just because after this morning's antics, she was pretty tired herself and snuggling sounded good-- but she told herself that part of it was also to make sure he didn't get sick in his sleep. So she rested her head against the back of his shoulder and closed her eyes, raising her hand to his hair again.]
Get some rest.
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[Ohhh, that felt better. His headache subsided just enough thanks to her hand through his hair and the tension runs out of his neck and back, finally drifting off to sleep]
[soon he's snoring quietly through his nose, still hugging his pillow...he'll be good till morning at least, whenever he does wake up again he'll feel like death, that much was certain]
[calling Sean, hoping for an answer]
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[reaches way over the bar to pick up the phone that's ringing, sounds of laughter in the background as he tries to answer seriously as possible] ......I know what you're ~thinking~. [Charles is drunk, to be sure]
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[At first, Raven is completely and totally confused by the sound of someone else's voice on the line. And then she snaps to again.] You-- wait... Charles? [Raven presses the phone tighter to her ear so she can hear him better.] What are you-- No, nevermind that, where are you?
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[at first he sounds delighted] Rrrraven!
[...then it sinks in and he sobers slightly] Raven?? Raven! Uh...hi.
...no place. Where are you? [I'm not out drinking!!]
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[Raven stops, assesses his tone and the slurring, and then purses her lips.] I am at home. And you are out drinking.
Why didn't you invite me? [She might be a little hurt.]
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[frustrated noise through the phone at being found out] ...because there's girls here, Raven. Girls I plan on talking to and making a fool of myself in front of. [snickers, despite himself]
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[She chuckles and rolls her eyes, leaning back in her chair.] But I could have helped you make a fool out of yourself! You know I'm good at it.
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[leaning sloppily against the bar, phone to his ear] Prrescis'ly. I don't need any help....I can't take you on all of my dates, Raven. [he's teasing her back]
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You don't have a date yet. [She points out, tapping the mouthpiece on the phone with a finger.] You have to have plans with a specific person for it to be a date. You're just going dumpster diving. Please make sure whatever girl you bring home doesn't leave her clothes all over the living room this time? I hate cleaning up after them.
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You have no faith in me and my ability to be charming. [this is why he was flying solo tonight]
[raises his hand even though she won't see it] I solemnly swear to not bring home a girl from a dumpster...or one that takes off her clothes. Any other unhappy restrictions you wish to place on my nightly activities, marm?
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Charles. [Her voice is chiding, but not without softness and a bit of amusement.]
Just be careful, please. That's all I really want. [She knows that he's more than equipped to take care of himself, but she always preferred to actually be there. To make sure he didn't make a complete ass of himself. Or that someone else doesn't make a complete ass out of him. Either way. She cared for her own, and she took pride in it.]
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[he harumphs, trying for as sober a voice as he can muster] I promise, I'll be careful. Ok?
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Yeah, I know. That's what you always say. [Raven says mockingly, sticking her tongue out at the phone.] Now, go have fun. I'll be waiting up.
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Right-o...if I'm not back by six, send the calvary after me. Ta! [hanging up and going back to the drinking game a few of the lads at the bar were working on]
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If you're not back by six, I'm coming after you myself, and it won't be pretty. [Raven does not do well staying up all night.... and he totally hung up on her.]
Jerk. [She glares at the phone, and then tries to dial Sean again.]
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a little later~
[it's six thirty a.m. and Charles hasn't come back yet...passed out on a table, having won the last five drinking games and chatted up ten very nice girls, but he was way too inebriated to ask them to come home with him]
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[A very sleep-deprived, grumpy Raven has walked all the way from their flat by Oxford to get to the pub, and pushes open the bar doors, her eyes skimming over the room until they fall on the unconscious form of Charles. At this point, she's not sure whether to be worried or angry, and she tosses a frigid glare at the bartender for not cutting her brother off.]
Charles. [She runs up behind him and shakes his shoulder to see if he responds.] Charles, get up.
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[Charles mumbles as he's shaken, the only clear words being "floor" and "penguins", his arms moving along the table surface. When she finally gets him to lift his head to look at her, there's a very wide grin on his face, his eyes red rimmed] Heeeey.
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Well, you're completely trashed, but at least you're alive. [She mutters, tipping Charles so that he's leaning back in the chair instead of forward on her arm, and she sits down in the seat next to him.] Charles? Can you hear me?
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[he lets her sit him up with an oof sound as his back contacts the back of the booth he's sitting in]
[sloppily annoyed] Yes, YES, I can hear you p'fectly...m'psychic you know... [smiling to himself now, it takes another moment or two for him to realize why Raven is here in the first place] ....ohhh.
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[Raven whaps him softly -- he's probably got a killer headache without her making it worse -- on the head with some rolled up papers that she's carrying in one hand, and groans.] Yes, "ohhh"! I've been worried sick about you all night.
[She lowered her voice, giving the bartender a wary look.] And don't go shouting to the world that you're 'psychic' either. That's a big slip-up, Charles. Doesn't bare thinking about, remember?
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[he's got too much scotch and shots in his system to feel that just yet so he just gives a soft whine at being whapped for no reason] Psssssychic~... [being a brat, it's a hard word to say when you're drunk and it just makes him grin more to see her annoyed]
[finger up as if making a point] Do you know...I broke a p'rsonal record for shots tonight? 20, two zero.
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Well, you're intelligent, but no one said you were smart. [Her sarcasm starts bleeding through again when his brattiness surfaces. Not at all impressed by the shot count.]
Come on. [She takes him by the arms and scoots out of the booth, tugging him with her.] I'm going to take you home before you yabber on to Sherley behind the bar there that you're a mutant and you're going to take over the world with your mind.
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[stumbling after her, holding to her arm to stay upright] Who'd want to take over the world with their mind anyway? Stoopid idea, glad I didn't think of it... [and now he's babbling but at least he's mobile]
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That's not the point. [Raven's back to muttering hateful things about her brother and his drinking habits for now, her arm wrapped around his and hefting him out the door and into the street.]
You know, sometimes you are so much more trouble than you're worth. [She shakes the papers she's carrying at his face, irritably.] You realize you have a guest lecture to do in three hours, yes? The class starts at 10, and you're still drunk as a skunk.
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[Charles rubs one hand across his eyes, ending on the bridge of his nose as he relies on Raven to keep him from running into anything] Wilson is covering the lecture...I'll be in class on time, don't worry. [even this drunk, he could still remember his schedule, no easy feat] Few hours sleep...coffee...
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Well that's good at least-- Step down. [She's very proficient in drunken-Xavier directions, and she steps off the curb to cross the street, pulling him along with her.] I'll get you home, and then you need to at least change before you fall over onto the bed. Although, I highly -- step up -- don't recommend sleep.
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[following her directions to step up, his head starting to slouch over towards her shoulder, a confused look crossing his face] No sleep?
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It will make you feel sicker. [Raven bumps his head back upright with her shoulder, not missing a beat in their walk or their conversation.] Unless that's something you're willing to put up with. But even then you will have to shower afterward and get dressed, and then head to The Morning Glory for your coffee, and by that time, an hour has gone by, and we are only half-way to the flat, and it's already 7 o'clock. You do the math.
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[mrrfff, of course she was right]
[mumbles] Rather do that then fall asleep in class... [he's done it before, he can do it again, unpleasant as it will be]
[whoa, moving too fast, Charles lets go of Raven to hug a lamppost to get himself to stop walking]
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Whoa, whoa, Charles. Where you do think you're going!? [All but flailing when he leaves her arm, Raven doubles back in an instant to stand behind him at the lamppost, placing a hand on either of his shoulders. When he was at a physical disadvantage like this, she tended to get more overprotective and possessive.]
Are you alright?
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[he has both arms wrapped around the pole like he was afraid of letting go, trying to get the ground to quit shifting on him] You walk too fast... [and he was starting to look a little green around the gills despite his lopsided smile remaining on his face as he looks blearily back at Raven]
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[His greenish hue sets of warning bells in her head, and Raven rubs his back comfortingly, inwardly wishing she could be home and in bed right now... but no.] Oh boy. Okay. We need to get you to a trash can, stat! [She slides herself up under one of his arms, holding it around her shoulders to better support him, and pries him off of the lamppost.]
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[he holds to her instead, managing to get his feet walking again on automatic] Nearly home....I'll make it.... [shoving down those nauseous feelings and not keeping his eyes open, letting Raven do the "driving"]
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[She presses a soft kiss to his temple as they walk, her arms wrapped carefully around his waist, supporting a lot of his dead weight on her hip.] Are you sure? You're so green you're almost blue.
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[hides a burp in one of his fists, ugh never again will he take that many shots in on time] Is it a good color on me? [he manages to get out, crooked smile]
[the stairs leading up to their apartment was going to be an adventure]
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[And adventure that Raven was seriously not looking forward to.] It looks better on me, actually. And that's saying something.
[She hitched him up higher on herself, using the arm over her shoulders as leverage, and turned the corner to get to the stairs up to their flat.] Ready?
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Should try green sometime... [he groans at the staircase but it can't be helped] Don't suppose I could sleep down here on the sidewalk? [nothing for it, he starts dragging himself up with her help]
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[She's got good enough support with his arm that the stairs aren't terrible, but they do have to stop a couple times for her to catch her breath and for him to not be dizzy.] And this is when an elevator would really come in handy.
[But finally, they reach the top of the stairs, and she tips him against the wall to fish her keys out of her purse.]
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[oh hello wall, have you met Charles Xavier? You're his best friend right now....and he slides slowly down the wall, headed for sitting on the floor with his eyes closed]
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[There's a tinkling as Raven pulls the keys from her purse, and her eyes flash over to Charles who's halfway down to the ground already.]
Oh nononononono, you don't. [She takes a hold of his hand and rights him back on his feet again, wrapping her arm around his waist as quickly as possible. She gets to door unlocked and shuffles him inside-- which is difficult since the door frame isn't meant for two people side-by-side.]
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...mrrrf... [he opens his eyes halfway as he's pulled to his feet and helped inside, squeezing through the door with Raven]
[his bedroom is the one on the left but the couch is closer and he's leaning in that direction like a magnet, wanting to lay down so badly]
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[It's a good thing she's got such a good grip on him then, because she tugs him in the direction of his room with sheer force of will.] Bed for you, if you're so intent on sleeping. Coooome on.
[She bumps the bedroom door open with her foot and drags him inside and over to his bed.] Okay, drunkie, sit down. I'll take your shoes.
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[sit down? he's going to fall down instead, sort of an aimed fall onto the bed, smushing his face into the covers and pillow with a happy groan of relief]
...you're too good to me, y'know that? [a telepathic message crawls out at her mind, sounding about as drunk as he is right now]
[and he suspects, the way he feels now, he's going to be skipping class at 10...which is fine, he has a skip available and he already knows what they were going to be discussing]
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[Raven bends down and undoes the laces on his shoes, a small smile on her face when he breaks through their mental barrier. She really didn't mind it as much as she told him she did... just as long as he wasn't snooping around in there.]
Yeah, I know. [Setting his shoes at the foot of his bed, she removed his socks and tucked them inside the shoes, and then used one of his legs to flip him over onto his back.] You should probably skip class today. And I'm going to get your sleep clothes. Okay? You should at least be comfortable.
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[another groan at being flopped over onto his back, this one sounds more painful than anything...beginnings of a hangover. He mumbeles something about being fine with what he has on, throwing an arm over his eyes] ...jus' throw dirt on me and leave flowers....
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Nope. [Raven goes to his dresser and pulls out linen pants and a button down matching top, and then comes back over to him.] Come on. The sooner your changed the sooner you can sleep.
[Coming to the side of the bed, she sits on the edge and undoes the buttons of his dress shirt, managing to get one arm through the sleeve, and then the other, tugging it out from underneath his dead weight.]
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[he tries to preserve what little dignity he has left by at least attempting to sit up and move in the right directions. But the buttons he can't seem to get no matter how many times he tries so he gives up on those] ...if I end up dying from this, you realize you get the house? [he's only half kidding, he knows there's a killer headache on the way]
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[One of Raven's eyebrows arches in mild amusement.] We'll discuss your will when you're dead, okay? Until then, you're still my stupid big brother who needs to get better so he can read to me tonight. [She slips her hands under the edge of his undershirt and drags it off of him over his head, then adjusts the pajama top around behind him, putting his arms through the holes and buttoning him back up.]
Top half done. [Determined sigh!]
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Good. [falls back with a soft WHUMP onto the bed, trying to pull the sheet over him as he turns over, determined to become a cocoon and hope he emerges a butterfly....and not hungover]
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[She grins, amused, and tugs the sheet away.] Not done with the bottom half.
Goofball. [Shaking her head, she takes a deep breath, stealing herself for this bit. She's caught somewhere between not really caring, because she and Charles are best friends, to being weirded out, because he's like her brother... and then there's the little bit of attraction that she might possibly feel for the only stable man in her life... But she tends to ignore that bit for the other two.] Ready? [She's more asking herself than him, but it could work for both.]
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[...and now it's filtering through what she's planning on doing and he hugs the covers around himself tighter] No wait...hold on.... [he's embarrassed enough by his drinking, if she starts stripping his pants off, he might have to give up drinking altogether so that it never happens again]
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[Raven heaves and sigh, and plants her hands on her hips.] You're changing, Charles. Whether I have to do it forcibly or not, it's happening. So. What's it going to be?
[It's not like she hadn't seen him in his underwear before. She's just as soon prefer not to, and that he did it himself. But he didn't seem in the right state to manage it.]
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[No, no, he would never live it down. With his last sober brain cell, he burrows under the covers, turning into a lump. The lump twitches and moves around for a bit and his pants are tossed over the side and out of it. A hand comes out for his pajamas....please?]
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[Raven holds back a fit of laughter watching him spazz out under the covers, and she hugs his PJ pants to her chest while she shakes with concealed amusement. She kicks the pants on the floor, when they fall out of the bed, over to the hamper, and then -- in a juvenile response -- high-fives the hand that's looking for the clean sleep pants. A little giggle escapes her lips.]
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[!! there's a whine of frustration at the low five, his hand spazzing out vehemently in a show of GIMMIE MY PANTS, trying to stretch as far out of the covers as he dares to get them]
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[Raven pulls back, still hugging the pants to her, the giggles fighting their way out of her as Charles' hand wiggles around frantically, bodiless and looking like a naked muppet.] Ask-- [gigglesnort] Be a good hand and ask nicely!
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[more frustrated sounds, not really sounding human due to him being out of it. His hand gives up grabbing at air at her ultimatum and just drops against the side of the bed as if giving up. He didn't have the strength to push himself off this bed, he probably couldn't ask for his pants coherently.
....and the lump doesn't move....for quite a long time. Hm, you sure Charles is alright under there, Raven? Maybe you should get closer to find out]
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[For a moment, Raven just stands and stares at the limp hand, worried. Did he just pass out? If so, should she leave? What if he died? That would be unfortunate. So she inches closer... and then springs onto the mattress with something that sounded a little like a whooping war-cry, landing over him on all fours, pants draped around her neck.]
Charles, you okay?
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[he keeps up the facade to the last minute, despite the yell from Raven pounding against his skull....and the hand snatches the pants right off her neck and dives under the covers with it's prize.]
[Victory is mine!]
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[There's a moment of sheer panic when Charles doesn't respond right away. Her eyes are wide, her heart is pounding, and she's completely convinced she's going to have to call the coppers... Then there's the hand again, in her face, snatching the pants, one of the legs whapping her in the nose.]
Gah! What the-- Charles! [She spends the next couple minutes playing cat and mouse, with him under the covers and her over them, swatting at his body while he tries to change pants.]
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Ow, ow OW!! [he gets louder with each hit, trying desperately to stay covered as he manages to get one leg in his pants....before being too disoriented to stay on the bed from moving around and he tumbles right off onto the floor, taking blanket, Raven, and all]
[laying on the floor on his stomach and face, half in the blanket, half in his pants] .....m'never drinking again... [he's just remembered how nauseous he is and it's trumping the fact he still isn't fully dressed]
[maybe if he stays on the floor, this will just all faaaaade away and be a very strange dream...]
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Charles for peat's sa-- shit! [It just slipped out when she toppled with Charles from the bed, shifting into her blue form on the way down, tangled in a mass of limbs and blankets and... was she still on top of him or was the blanket just really hard?
Nope. That was Charles. Scrambling through the blankets, her hands searched for his face. If he looked half as horrible as he sounded, he probably needed to get to the bathroom, and stat.] Hey... don't get sick on me, love. Not yet. [Finally she finds him underneath all the covers, and pulls them away, noting that the pants didn't quite make it on the other leg. She'd laugh, but it felt inappropriate right now, since Charles was once again a lovely shade of chartreuse.]
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[So long as he doesn't move, he can keep his stomach at bay, resting his head against the shag carpeting and trying some deep breaths. He doesn't trust his outer voice] Do me a favor and don't. move. me. [he can apologize for the boxer shorts later, right now he just doesn't feel up to it]
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[He's clear as day in her head, and Raven instantly backs off, hands in the air, to sit on the floor beside him. Her hip is right next to his head. Makes it easier to stroke his hair, tucking some of it behind his ear.]
Okay... I'll just sit here. Feeling useless. [She thinks at him.]
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[he hates being sick, why does he do this to himself? oh right, it was fun until all of this happened...
...Raven's hand on his hair is comforting though and his nausea finally calms down. He lets out a sigh of relief] ...better...
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I'm glad. [She keeps her hand there, running through his hair. He seems to have relaxed when she started at it.] Now...
[She reaches down and takes the waistband of his pants, picking up his unclothed foot and slipping it into the empty pants leg, and then pulls them up the rest of the way, tying the drawstrings at his waist.] Done.
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[there's an affirmative grunt, glad that that's over with...his eyes sliding shut as the floor is more comfortable than he thought it would be.]
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[Raven, in her blue form, is a bit stronger than average, and she slips her arms underneath his back and his knees, lifting him up off the floor and back onto the mattress with a groan.]
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[He honestly didn't think she could do it but he's grateful she did when he finds himself on the soft bed again]
...thank you... [big blanket thank you for everything was worth the effort to say it aloud]
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Yeah... my back will be killing be in a minute here, though. [She bends down to retrieve the sheets and blankets, throwing them out over the bed and Charles.]
Now scoot over, and I'll read to you.
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Sorry... [he does feel bad about being this irresponsible, or at least he knows he would if he were more awake]
[He groans, half heartedly turning on his side to try and give her room but he doesn't get far. Oh yay, a pillow, he'll be wrapping himself around that now, trying not to think too hard. It hurts to think]
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[Plopping herself down in the space that Charles made for her, Raven reaches over to his nightstand to retrieve the book he set there. Current reading material, as it were... But then she looks over at him, curled around the pillow and trying to ignore life, and she rethinks the reading aloud bit. That might hurt more than help.]
Do you want me to stay? [She sets the book back on the stand and lays down, turning onto her side, and hugging her brother from behind.]
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[Charles really wasn't in the mood to be read to, that would just keep him awake. And he really, really wanted sleep to take him, the sooner the better. He'd only just gotten comfortable enough again, his eyes closed and he hums an up-down note, not really an answer to her question but a sign he did hear her say something]
[He really didn't need to be held, but he was used to Raven using him for a pillow before so he doesn't object. He's too tired to...and that headache was starting to come back for seconds]
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Okay. [She's going to take his non-response as a 'yes'... just because after this morning's antics, she was pretty tired herself and snuggling sounded good-- but she told herself that part of it was also to make sure he didn't get sick in his sleep. So she rested her head against the back of his shoulder and closed her eyes, raising her hand to his hair again.]
Get some rest.
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[Ohhh, that felt better. His headache subsided just enough thanks to her hand through his hair and the tension runs out of his neck and back, finally drifting off to sleep]
[soon he's snoring quietly through his nose, still hugging his pillow...he'll be good till morning at least, whenever he does wake up again he'll feel like death, that much was certain]