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WHO: Anavha + Grey
WHERE: Grey's work and throughout Heropa
WHEN: November 3rd
WHAT: Anavha's just arrived back and is looking for an old friend
WARNINGS: none

[ It's disorienting at first. He expected to find himself in Aaldia, surrounded by colors and people. Instead he was in a metal jungle.

Still full of people, though.... Just not the ones Anavha had expected.

Despite the strange set back, Anavha can't find it in himself to be disappointed. He had forgotten this place, not by choice. But if he had remembered it, he would have returned willingly.

The memories come back more and more as Anavha makes his way through the crowd, a destination slowly forming in his mind.

When he reaches the community center, he gets let in back when he mentions the name. ]

Grey. [ He says softly, standing in the doorway of the kitchen. ]

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[ It's been a normal shift, so far. The food they make here is not as good as what Will makes at home, and the fact that Grey discerns this speaks volumes to how far he's come during his year in Heropa. It's still good, though. Better than what he used to eat, and better than what the people who come here would have without it. That's why Grey likes the community centre. It makes him feel like he's helping those people, just by making their lunch.

Today it's soup. He is chopping vegetables, which is a thing he does more rapidly than the rest of the workers. They think he's good with a knife. They have no idea how good. But he's working, and thinking nothing of the hours passing, until that voice happens.

That voice.

It's been months, and Grey has not forgotten it. Anavha had been one of the first people to treat him well here. One of his first friends, along with Thomas and April. But Anavha has been gone for so long that Grey had thought he was never coming back, never at all, and had thought he would just have to accept that.

He drops the knife and spins, and he stares at a face that is familiar, and unbelievable in its familiarity. Unthinking, he goes forward, reaching for Anavha and taking hold of his shoulders. Grey's tattoos flare to life, and Anavha's name erupts over his face in various colours. It's really him.

That's all it takes for Grey to hug him. Ten months. He counts them again now, in his head. Ten months and Anavha is back, and remembers Grey. So much for April's three month rule. ]

[ For a second, he's afraid Grey may not remember him. It seems like it's been awhile. Not that Anavha remembers the dates, but the air here is different than it was. Things have changed.

But Grey hasn't.

Grey's across the kitchen in almost no time at all. Anavha lets out a breath as Grey's arms surround him so tightly. Anavha's own arms go around him just as tightly, only just noting the way his name trails over Grey's face. So different from before....

So much has changed.

He leans back, eyes searching Grey's. ]

How long was I gone?

[ Grey still can't believe it. He's concentrating on the feeling of Anavha under his palms, under his fingers. The last time he'd seen this man had been in a dream, a terrible dream, when Anavha had floated away into nothing.

But that's not what this is. It's not. He's real, and -

Different, actually. As he leans back, Grey takes in Anavha's clothes for the first time. He had always dressed in white before. Now, Grey frowns a little, and he looks back up. His tattoos - in a more careful black - try to explain. ]

months
ten months
i didnt think you would come back

[ Not after the first three had passed. That's April's rule, and yet Anavha seems to have defied it. Grey shakes his head. ]

am i dreaming ?

[ Ten months. Nearly a whole year.

It was luck that Grey was still here at all. That he remembered Anavha too.

Yet the words keep coming. There's so many of them. It's as close to speaking as GRey gets, but it's further than last year when Grey had pointed to old words tattooed on his body. these ones come and go and form sentences.

Anavha's a little in awe.

But he smiles gently and shakes his head, touching Grey's cheek as if to remind himself it's real. ]

No. I'm here.

I'm sorry I was go so long. I didn't mean to be. I hope this time I can stay longer.

[ Grey hopes so too. He hates losing the friends he makes here. He lost so many at home, one after another. It’s hard to believe Anavha is here. When he touches Grey’s cheek, Grey just hugs him again.

He seems so much happier now, and more certain. Maybe it’s because this time, he isn’t lost.

But that doesn’t explain why his clothes are different. ]

how long for you ?

[ Longer than ten months? Shorter than that? What’s happened to Anavha during that time? ]

you look different . [ Understatement. ]

I don't know. [ He answers honestly. ] There was time in Aaldia... then in the cell. [ He shakes his head. ] A month or so. At the least. [ He doesn't quite know how long he was held in Tordin. He hadn't really counted the days, and some had been lost when he'd been too distracted by pain or sorrow to count.

Then Anavha pauses looking down at himself. He tries to recall the Anavha Grey knew. It wasn't so long ago for him, but it felt like a whole year ago to him too.

He does frown slightly. ] They're clothes from Tordin.

Do they look bad? [ He asks, looking up to Grey again. ] I don't like them. I was going to get new ones in Aaldia, but I came here instead. Through my doors again.

[ A cell?! Grey has an obvious reaction to that. His lips part and his eyebrows come together, while his hands tighten on Anavha's arms. Why had Anavha been in jail? What did he do? Who would put him there? Grey doesn't like it.

Nor does he know what Tordin is, because he doesn't think Anavha had mentioned it before. He rapidly shakes his head at the question, and runs his hand over his friend's sleeve. ]

you never look bad

[ Because he doesn't, and never has. Anavha has always been good at looking clean and pristine and delicate in a way Grey can never achieve at all. More words start to form, but it's at this point that his supervisor interrupts them. A gentle hand is placed on Grey's shoulder, and the kindly community worker smiles at them both. ]

Grey. Would you like to take your break now? There's plenty spare, if your friend is hungry.

[ Grey blinks, and then quickly nods. His smile is his thanks, and a few moments later, a tray with two bowls of food is put into his hands. He looks at Anavha and tilts his head, leading him out of the kitchen and into the main centre. Many of the tables are full with others having lunch, but Grey finds a small one off to the side, and sits at the end of it. He nods for Anavha to do the same, and offers one of the bowls to him. ]

here
its good .

[ Anavha doesn't think much of it anymore.

Though he had cried so much before. And so much during. He had pouted and screamed and fought every bit of it. And now... it was just a thing that happened.

Along that vein, he hadn't expected anyone to care about what had happened to him. He was a thing to Zezili. And Natanial had always made it sound like he was saving Anavha from Zezili. Which, in a way he was. But sometimes Anavha forgets the reality that he wasn't Natanial's prisoner, but Saladyn's instead.

So he lets Grey lead him to a table, and he can't help but smile at the food set out in front of him. Unlike Natanial, Grey doesn't demand he eats. Only offers out of concern. And trusting his stomach, Anavha slowly starts to eat, sighing as the warmth of the soup floods him. ]

Thank you.

It's very good. [ He adds, eyes meeting Grey. ]

I wasn't sure I'd find you in this world again. But I did. [ He smiles. ] I was lucky you even work at the same place still.

[ Grey eats slowly, his eyes on Anavha. Even this, he notes, is different. Anavha barely ever ate anything before. Now he doesn't fight it. So much has changed.

Grey, it must be said, is somewhat resistant to change. He is a creature of routines - routines that he's developed during the last year, to make up for all the ones he lost from his past life. He won't leave this job at all if he can help it. And he won't move house.

Well, not again.

Speaking of which. ]

i live with april now . and will . do you remember ?
thanksgiving

[ That had been the name of the holiday, the one when both he and Anavha had gone to eat at April's house. The people there had been different now, but the house is the same. He's hoping Anavha knows it. If not, Grey will show him. Then he leans forward, and his words bubble onto his cheek. ]

whats tordin ?
what happened to you ?
why were you in jail ?

[ Grey has the advantage of being able to eat while he talks, which he does now. But his eyes never leave Anavha. ]

[ Thanksgiving. that was the name of the holiday. It was difficult to simply describe the holiday as "That one where everyone eats a lot." Apparently that is many holidays.

Anavha nods his head. ]

I remember. You liked it there. [ He gives him another small smile. It was different, but it felt right.

Then the other questions poured in and Anavha almost flushed with embarrassment at having forgotten to answer them. He pauses eating as he glances back at Grey. ]

It's a country. The last time I came here it was after a man from Tordin kidnapped me to use me as ransom against my wife. When I returned that... just continued. [ He shrugged. ] Tordin was where he took me. I wasn't in jail, I was their prisoner.

[ Grey nods, to the first part. He'd liked it there. He'd loved it there, and still does. The word 'family' writes itself faintly over his cheek. That's more of a response to Anavha's words, than more conversation. He doesn't really realise that it's happened.

But then Anavha goes on, and Grey's expression turns serious. He remembers that Anavha had been taken, and also that his wife had been a soldier. Grey's impression of her had never been favourable, and had worsened when he understood that she'd treated Anavha badly. Gilliam would never have treated Grey the way Zezili had treated Anavha. That hadn't been right.

But nor was putting him in a cell. Grey's hands clench, anger fleeting over his face. ]

did they hurt you ?

[ That's the most important thing. Anavha looks better now. Stronger, not so thin. There's even something about him that seems more confident, more sure of himself.

But still. Appearances can deceive. ]

[ Never has that word felt so foreign as when Grey used it. "Family." Anavha didn't have a family. His mother had never cared for him. His wife was certainly no family. And he had no children to speak of. No. Anavha never really knew that word.

But Grey does. And it makes him happy to see.

Anavha shakes his head at Grey's questioning, though. ]

Natanial was allowed to train me. He was very good to me.

[ Grey's eyes narrow. Putting Anavha in a cell does not sound like being good to him. It doesn't sound like treating him well. He looks down, capturing more soup on his spoon.

Anavha had always been so gentle. He used to accept bad things that happened to him because he seemed to think that's how the world should be. It's the same attitude he'd had to slavery. Just because something is, doesn't make it right. That had been the central lesson Grey was taught on the Train, and it very much resonates in him now. ]

how ?

train your powers ?

[ Is that what Natanial had been after? ]

[ He nods his head in response. He's eating. Slowly. Not nearly as much as Grey, but he's learning. And his stomach is so used to smaller portions that he's still not up to eating larger portions so quickly.

But he does eat. Something that's new too. ]

He was kind to me. The king wanted to give me to women who would torture me into learning, but Natanial stopped that.

[ a pause. ] Though, he was the one to give me to the king.

[ Grey still doesn’t look like he’s taken by Natanial. Anavha hadn’t known slavery was bad. Would he think it was bad if he was treated as one? He always seemed to accept his circumstance no matter how much it hurt him. ]

why did he do that
anavha

[ Grey reaches out, touching his hand very gently. His face is full of concern. ]

are you ok ?

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