1065/Brave

Brave
Date of Scene:	19 February 2016
Location:	Hisakata Residences
Synopsis:	Ayana's having bad dreams.
Cast of Characters:	Ayana, Ikiko Hisakata

---

Ayana has posed:
It is well past the hour when good little boys and girls have gone to sleep. Well past the time when students should be in bed so they can wake for school in the morning. It is late enough it might almoste be called early, though college kids everywhere would protest that it's at least another hour until 'early'.

Ikiko and Ayana aren't typically the type to stay up this late, and indeed tonight, they didn't. Except at this strange and unwelcoming hour, there is a brief, startled scream from the bed beside Ikiko's.

Ayana sits bolt upright in her pajamas. Her eyes are wide and she's panting, ears folded back along the side of her head. She stares around herself, hardly seeing, despite all, as she tries to calm herself.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
The sound of Ayana's scream has Ikiko sitting bolt upright almost immediately after Ayana does. There's an adrenaline-pumped moment of confusion as the younger girl looks around for attackers, but there are no youma in the room, nor are there wielders of dark energy.

"Ayana, what's wrong?" Ikiko asks, crossing the small gap between their bed and taking her girlfriend's hand. "Was it a nightmare? A bad memory?"

Ayana has posed:
Ayana starts when Ikiko takes her hand, and then she looks up at her girlfriend confusedly. Recognition comes a moment later, and then Ayana buries her face against Ikiko's chest, clutching at the werewolf's shoulders. "Sorry," she mumbles as she pulls Ikiko forcefully into her bed. "Sorry, it was just a bad dream."

Ayana's shivering, shaking a little. "I dreamed that you'd been possessed by Riventon, and you were trying to kill me. Your howl stopped me moving, and then you ... you tore me in two. It was awful."

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Ikiko Hisakata quickly finds herself sitting next to the unnerved kitsune. She listens to the cause of the terror, and winces at the description. "That is a scary dream," she agrees, giving Ayana a comforting hug.

The werewolf isn't in any hurry to end the hug; rather, Ikiko starts gently rubbing Ayana's ears with one hand and petting the kitsune's back with the other. She even starts humming a soothing song, one that she vaguely remembers from when she was a baby. While Ikiko cannot guarantee her own safety, she can at least wordlessly reassure Ayana of her love and caring.

Ayana has posed:
Ayana leans into the petting and offers a soft whimper. "It was really scary," she agrees softly. "But at least it wasn't real." She sighs and drags the blanket back over herself and Ikiko, nestling in with her arms around the other girl. "Was it really scary when you found out I was evil?" she asks uncertainly.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Ikiko Hisakata snuggles close, still rubbing Ayana's ears. "You mean when Riventon had you pumped full of dark energy?" she asks, thinking about those two encounters over the course of that week and a half in December.

After a few moments, she shakes her head. "I wasn't scared, if only because I was focused on stopping the evil," she explains. "I had a rough idea of what you could do, and I quickly realized that I needed to get through the darkness to find the 'you' still in there... but I had too much determination and too much love for you to let worry stop me."

Ayana has posed:
Ayana tilts her head a little as she allows Ikiko's pettings to comfort her. She kisses Ikiko gently on the neck, then closes her eyes and nestles in. "I don't know if I could be that brave," the kitsune intones softly. "I love you so much, but I'm pretty sure I'd just cry and not know what to do."

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"You're braver than you think, Ayana," Ikiko murmurs back, kissing her girlfriend on the forehead and giving her a warm smile. "Reach out with your heart, like I did to you, and I'm sure you'll reach me. Even if we no longer directly feel the emotions of each other, we can still feel our love."

Ayana has posed:
Ayana sighs and hunches her shoulders a little. "I don't feel brave," she tells Ikiko quietly. "I feel like I'm afraid, all the time. And the only thing that keeps me from hiding under the bed is knowing that if I don't do something, I'll die or you'll die or someone will die. But I'm still scared."

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Ikiko Hisakata nuzzles Ayana's nose and gives her a hug. "And that's why you're brave," she points out. "Bravery isn't the same as fearlessness. Fearlessness is not worrying at all about things that worry you; bravery is having those worries and still doing what needs to be done."

She gives the kitsune another kiss, this time a gentle one on the lips. "That's why I say that you're braver than you think: even though you're scared, you still step up and do what you can to make things better."

Ayana has posed:
Ayana smiles a little, then nuzzles Ikiko's chin gently. "I'm glad you think so," she says softly. "But I'm still not entirely sure I agree. Still, I hope you'll be proud of me anyways." She sighs and kisses Ikiko gently on the cheek, then buries her head against Ikiko's shoulder. "I know you gotta go to school in the morning, but will you stay the night in my bed?"

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"Sure," Ikiko murmurs with a smile. Sleepytime cuddles with her girlfriend is always a plus in her book, especially if it helps Ayana sleep better. She kisses the kitsune on the cheek, then snuggles in, forming a 'little-ish spoon' to Ayana's 'big spoon'.

"May the rest of your dreams be sweeter, beloved," Ikiko whispers, wrapping Ayana's arms around her midsection. While it's not the same cozy feeling as taking a midday nap in the kitsune's lap, she still has that feeling of being protected by her girlfriend, and that's a very good feeling.

Ayana has posed:
Ayana nuzzles in against the back of Ikiko's neck and closes her eyes. "I love you," she whispers quietly as she tries to settle back in. "Sleep sweet, beloved." It's hard to be brave, but holding your loved one certainly helps.