(Untitled)

[un_fallen]

Raguel's having a quieter evening tonight - no flapping around outside, just a beer in the corner and an ashtray within reach. The simple fact of getting off the ground - far as he might be from actually attempting the marathon journey to the City - has put him in a thoughtful mood.

No, he's not reconsidering.

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[buriedmybrother]

Antigone hasn't seen Raguel in a very long time; and while she might normally feel a little irritated over the fact that when he's here again at last, it's just sitting in the corner as if he'd been there all along ...

Well, there are factors.

For instance, a pair of wings.

"Oh ..."

[un_fallen]

He glances up from deep contemplation of his half - hmm - empty glass, and gives her a small but genuine smile.

"Hey, there. Was beginning to worry that maybe you'd left."

[buriedmybrother]

Antigone's espression is somewhere between dazed and dazzled.

Wings, dude.

After a moment, she manages, "Why should I have?"

[un_fallen]

He tilts his head at her odd look, wondering if he's got leaves stuck in his feathers.

"I just hadn't seen you around for a while, that's all. Guess I should've looked harder."

[buriedmybrother]

Antigone nods slowly.

... Well, she doesn't really know Raguel all that well. So it makes perfect sense that there would be things about him that she might not ... know about.

She feels almost as if he's been holding out on her.

"You're looking well," she says at last.

[un_fallen]

Ah. Right.

"Thanks," he replies, smile growing a little more crooked.

"Wasn't sure I'd ever feel quite this - well - again. And... you're looking nice yourself, now you mention it."

[buriedmybrother]

Antigone smiles faintly, a little puzzled.

She doesn't think she looks particularly nice.

(She may be forgetting, however, that the absence of surliness and overt hostility often does wonders for one's appearance.)

"Thank you."

[un_fallen]

Raguel would do well to remember the subtle difference between 'pondering' and 'sulking' himself.

"Have time for a drink?"

[buriedmybrother]

Antigone's smile turns a little wry.

"I have time for everything."

She slides round to take a seat, feeling almost as if there won't be room for her with those wings-- she remembers Remiel had wings, too, beautiful eagle-tawny wings ...

It's strange.

[un_fallen]

He shuffles them over to make room, flagging a waitrat and moving the ashtray out of the way. He's focused on the details - not poking anyone in the face with a wad of feathers is still something that takes concentration - so that when he finally looks up again he sees that she's still staring.

"Everything okay?"

[buriedmybrother]

Antigone's still smiling faintly, too, and probably doesn't notice that Raguel's noticed her checking out his wings.

Angelpretty.

"Things are all right," she says, and thinks a little guiltily of Saionji.

"Better than they've been."

[un_fallen]

"That makes two of us with good luck," he says, allowing the smile to creep back in.

"Or... did something just go particularly badly for you till recently?"

Tact is an art not yet grasped by this one.

[buriedmybrother]

Antigone shrugs, frowning a little.

"Some things did."

She's looking more down at the table than at him. Or his wings.

"Coyote was dead. And River was gone."

And Saionji still is.

"But they're back now."

[un_fallen]

"Oh. Yeah, that was..."

Rather than finishing, he reaches for his glass and takes a drink, which gets the point across just as clearly.

"I don't know River very well. She a friend of yours, I guess?"

[buriedmybrother]

Antigone frowns. She takes her glass after he takes his, mostly for something to do with her hands.

Alcohol does get the point across rather clearly.

"Yes," she agrees.

It's very soft.

After a moment, she shrugs and glances up at him.

"River is-- even though I don't see her so often. I wish I did."

[un_fallen]

He nods, trying to piece together the brief and scattered conversation he'd had with the girl.

"What happened to her? Seems like she'd already been... been through a lot."