splitmemory | The Care and Keeping of Bunnies

Cater... had actually put thought into this. Had decided on a place that he thought Rayne would like, over dragging him somewhere he wanted to try. It's difficult, impossible even, to describe the feeling in his chest when he hears that.

Instead of questioning that feeling, Rayne nods. "Alright-- sure."

No way was he going to admit that Cater had done a good job selecting the place. His hand brushes against Cater's shoulder as he leaves his side, a motion to show where he was headed - towards a more secluded area of the cafe, where hopefully the calm would be even more prominent.

Even though it's just an acknowledgement, Cater feels a lightness in his chest at Rayne's brush against him. He's all smiles, feeling giddy as he places an order in at the counter. Paying for the coffees, he finds the tucked away corner that Rayne selected and joins him. "It'll just be a few minutes."

He's just passing the time explaining how he first found the place when a server brings them their cups. The hot coffees are adorned with precious pieces of art in the foam topping: a bunny for Rayne and a cat for Cater.

"I saw the doodles you added in my notebook," he admits. "With yours and mine together, they reminded me of this."

Cater wasn't going to pay for everything today, on this excursion, but... well, Rayne couldn't exactly go up and pay for their drinks if Cater had been ordering for them. His arms rest against the table as he waits for Cater to join him, his eyes focused over on the other teen up until the moment he spotted him.

Ugh, why was Cater so--
Enticing.

A calm quiet settles over him as he listens to Cater's explanation, something about how he'd found this place. The moment their cups are placed in front of them, though...

Rayne's eyes widen. Blinking at the two cups, his face begins to dust a light pink. "I--" Rayne seems to be ready to defend himself, to make up some excuse for the doodles he'd left in that notebook of his. Both of his hands come out, grabbing carefully at the mug with the bunny foam topping. He brings the cup close to himself, admiring the art.

Lifting his eyes briefly up to Cater, he's quickly looking back down at the art.

"... I like it." He mutters out, the quietest admission possible. Slowly, he pushes the cups back together, looking at both pieces of art atop their drinks. "They match." He states the obvious. It's clear as day - Rayne Ames is enamored.

Cater had been hoping that Rayne would like it, of course, but he hadn't anticipated such a reaction. It was cute, and Cater couldn't get enough. He wanted to memorize every piece of how Rayne's expression had shifted. The way he admired the art, the way that he seemed so sheepish all of a sudden.

He feels his own face heat up a little as he realizes he's staring, fishing out his phone so he can immortalize the drinks. "IKR? That's exactly what I was thinking! Here, let me take a picture of them before we mess them up."

Carefully, Rayne positions both cups to allow the art to face Cater, to let him take a perfect photo of them. He, really, didn't understand the concept of anything regarding online life, but if that was something Cater wanted to do, well...

Rayne was too enamored by these drinks to even care or question it, for now.

"Do you have pets?" Rayne asks, out of the blue. "You draw cats so often in your notebook. It'd make sense if you did have one." Rayne? Asking a question unprompted? Was he okay?

"Me? Ah, no."

He puts the phone away once he's satisfied with the picture, admiring the two cups the way they're positioned for another moment before sitting back in his seat, pulling his cup with him.

"It wouldn't be fair to a pet if I did have one since I'm never in the same place for very long--I wouldn't want to put an animal through that."

It was stressful enough for a human, after all. Maybe an animal companion would've been nice to have over the course of his childhood, but certainly they'd have been difficult to travel with.

"I've never had one. What about you?"

Never in the same place for long-- Rayne could relate to that. His own hands take ahold of his cup, bringing it close again once Cater seemed satisfied. Both of his palms press against the warm outside of the cup, his attention still very much focused on it.

"When I was younger, it was the same for me. I had enough to take care of without adding a pet into the mix." That's enough personal detail for one comment, he's sure. Shifting in his seat, he brings his cup up, trying some of the coffee. It's a little sweeter than he'd prefer, but-- something about it makes the moment so very sweet.

As if, for a few minutes, Rayne could forget about everything else, to focus on this time.

"Now, I have several rabbits." More than several. How he was even allowed to have so many within his dorm room was a wonder in itself. "My roommate suggest I take up rabbit breeding, as a hobby, due to my ..." Interest? Love? How was he supposed to explain his adoration for bunnies without losing all of Cater's respect? "... Enjoyment of them." Simple enough.

"I've been raising them for a while now."

He had a lot to take care of, as a child? Cater can't help but wonder--but there was no point in getting too personal on either of their sides, so he allows that statement to stand on its own while he listens to Rayne continue his explanation about pets. Cater sips his coffee, licking the foam from his upper lip, and a little shine comes into his eyes at the mention of rabbits.

"OMG, you do? I'd love to see them sometime! I bet it's so cute, seeing them all together!"

Of course, when Cater's imagining "Several" he's thinking, like, four.

"Do you think you would, maybe after you've graduated? You'd probably need more space for that then a dorm room, huh?"

Cater knew when not to push. That’s a good thing, as Rayne would react negatively to Cater asking too many personal questions, just as Cater might brush them off or change the topic. Neither of them were very willing to get personal, even if this was slowly becoming more than two classmates hanging out, no matter what Rayne would call it.

“That could be one of your next goals. To meet all of them.” Rayne mentions idly, taking another sip of his drink.

As for Rabbit Breeding… “It depends on how busy I end up being. Divine Visionaries have a massive amount of responsibilities on their shoulders. There’s not much room for personal hobbies or activities among the work we do.” Rayne explains, his gaze falling down to focus on his drink.

“I’d like to though. I think it would be a worthwhile hobby.” Plus, it’s something he and Finn still tended to bond over, no matter how lightly.

“What about you? Do you have any hobbies?” He’s taking this serious, keeping the conversation going and everything! What a good prize this was, for all that hard work Cater was putting in, right?

"Sounds like a plan," he agrees with a grin, turning his mug around in his hands. "I'd need a new one after this, wouldn't I? What better than to meet your favorite cuties?"

Of which he wants to be a part of. And also get into Rayne's dorm room. But, anyway--

"I like skateboarding, and I like music. I write some, here and there, but mostly I just sing and play guitar." He couldn't say how good his original stuff even is, but it doesn't matter as long as he feels satisfaction in creating it. It's not like he intends to make it big as a musician, or anything. "I've thought about putting a band together, but it's hard to find the time."

Mostly because he hasn't been anywhere long enough. The best he's done is meet up for the occasional jam session with other music players--nothing enough to be considered a formal group.

"And I already told you that I like astrology--even though fortune telling is one of our classes, I still dabble in it on my free time."

When was the last time he sat and actually listened to someone else talk about their interests? Sure, he did that during the study session that Cater barged in on, but this was different. This was a situation where he didn't have to make conversation, didn't have to actually listen. Didn't have to make it anything that Cater would enjoy. With his roommate it was more of a necessity, to pass the time. With Cater...

The deal was that Rayne would go out on the town with Cater for a day. Not that he'd entertain him or make him happy. Some part of him wanted to see that one smile again. To watch Cater's facade slip up, to make him genuinely smile at him.

As he's thinking about that, he realizes he's staring a little too much at Cater. Where else was he supposed to look, when they were sat across from each other like this? Was there even a proper place??

"Have you considered starting a club?" Rayne asks, leaning back slightly in his chair. Not that there were that many students into music that he could think of. If anyone was able to manage to get something like that together, it'd be someone like Cater. Or maybe one of the newer first years.

"... You should do a reading for me sometime. Show me why it's so interesting to you. Maybe you'll be able to change my mind."

Cater hums. A club, huh? He could certainly get the interest up for one. "Not sure how good of a leader I'd be," he admits. "I'd probably run it right into the ground."

Just like most his classes, it seems like he's a little reluctant to put forth outstanding effort. Apparently, even some of his hobbies aren't free from this--or maybe it's just involving other people that makes him dial down his enthusiasm.

But at the thought of a reading, he perks up.

"Yeah, I'd love to! It's been a minute since I've used my tarot cards outside of class." Who knew, maybe even if Rayne didn't gain any particular interest in the subject, he'd still find something useful in a reading. If nothing else, it would be fun to do, maybe give Cater a bit more insight to the mysterious boy sitting across from him.

With the way that Rayne's eyes have been on him as they sat there, it's no surprise that Cater's ends up locking with his--and it's nice, to see him without that usual strain of disdain. Out of his element like this, Rayne almost looks peaceful. Almost. There's still a measure of rigidity, but Cater finds he doesn't mind it. That there's something endearing about how Rayne doesn't know how to hold himself.

Rayne could see it now, Cater standing in front of a microphone, his hair pinned back, as he sings some silly song, his fingers expertly working the chords as his other hand strums the guitar. He'd look so wonderful up on a stage with lights on him. His eyes would probably sparkle under the lights too, wouldn't they?

It's really hard not to daydream just a little about how he might look up on stage, before the conversation winds down to fortune telling.

Oh, he perked up so much-- was this what it was like to engage with someone else's interests?

"I need more practice interpreting readings," Rayne admits, as their eyes lock together. His heart pounds in his chest, breath catching in the back of his throat. What was it about Cater looking at him that made his body react this intensely? It wasn't like anything he'd felt for anyone else before... which scares him, really. "... So I could do a reading for you too, with my cards." He finishes the thought, taking another sip of his coffee, before resting the cup back down to adjust his hold on it.

Once it's down, Rayne's eyes break their shared gaze, falling down to Cater's hands. What if... How... would they feel...? What a stupid thought. And yet--

He finds that his hand slips a little further across the table, until his pinky and ring finger lightly settle over part of Cater's hand, as if testing the touch.

"You would need to make sure I was on point with my interpretation."

When Rayne's fingers brush against him, Cater doesn't dare look. No matter how much he wants to see what their hands look like together, it feels sort of like a spell that will stop being cast if concentration is broke. If Rayne sees his eyes shift down, will he spook and pull back? He keeps his gaze straight ahead, as if he hasn't noticed a thing, but he shifts his own fingers toward Rayne's, allowing their fingers to fold more fully against one another.

"I'd like that--I want to know what you see, when you draw cards for me." And it would be nice, too, to be able to be of any kind of help to Rayne. The guy was probably rarely the one who needed support, and Cater felt a sort of pride at being able to offer some.

"Any kind of reading you want, I'm happy to practice with you."

Was he just imagining it, or did Cater's hand shift to match his own hand's movements? Rayne's fingers almost shake with his own movements, as if he can't fathom the idea of grabbing someone else's hand like this. When he was normally so sure of himself, so sure what he should do and how to act, this was completely out of his comfort zone. Regardless, his hand continues to shift, fingers ending up slowly, carefully slipping against Cater's hand, to allow them to hold hands over the table.

Cater had to have noticed. He was the type who'd comment on it, right? Rayne's eyes flick up to his face and-- Cater didn't seem to notice, let alone even mind. Good. The touch was... comfortable.

With a soft nod, Rayne finally speaks up again, "What type of fortune telling is your favorite? Do you have a favorite?"

It's working! Rayne's actually holding his hand right now! Keep it cool, Cater. Don't smile too widely. Pretend nothing out of the ordinary is happening, even if this is definitely not ordinary for two guys who are barely friends just having coffee together. He is so hype, but he can play it down when it really counts.

"Well, I think all types have different merits to them. The stars are important to me, so astrology is my favorite, but aside from that...I really enjoy the kind of connection one gets with tarot readings, I think they're the most insightful. And there's something soothing about palmistry, as well."

Not that he wants to put too much attention on hands, right now, lest Rayne get spooked.

How was he expected to hold himself right now? Was this okay? To hold Cater's hand, even for a second-- it was soft to the touch, warm from how they'd both been holding their cups. For once, it felt like it really was only him and Cater in this room, even if they very much were not alone in the cafe.

A thought slips into his head, one he's unable to shake. Rayne shifts, setting down his cup again - it's almost empty by now - and leaning slightly over the table towards Cater, his expression even more serious now.

"Cater," Rayne seems like he might be able to say something serious, to possibly scold him -- but what for? Nothing he did was wrong, was out of the ordinary, aside from accepting the hand in his. "There's this supply store, tucked away within one of the darker alleys of town. Near where a few of the bars are. It's almost magical in itself, how it appears and vanishes at certain days or times. Or seems to. It's called Court of Hearts Curios."

"Can I take you there?"

Edited 2024-05-22 00:48 (UTC)

Just how long had the two of them been at this table, talking and just watching each other? Cater barely remembered drinking his own coffee, which was also nearing empty. It feels like so much of his attention is focused on their intertwined hands, on making it seem like none of his attention is on them. And then, suddenly, Rayne leans in.

Cater feels his heart skip a beat--what was happening? When Rayne speaks, he lets out a slight breath, unsure if he was relieved or disappointed that all he had was a suggestion on where to go next.

"That sounds like fun! I'd love to see what kind of things it stocks."

Shops like that were so mysterious, he didn't often get to look for them when it wasn't concerning school supplies--but those were usually made more readily available for the student body at large.

Rayne didn't often go out shopping, really. Not enough that he even needed to know of a shop like this. In his few excursions out, he found himself wandering into a few different shops, just to look around. On occasion, he'd buy something for Finn, leave it in his dorm. Something he needed, something he could use in his studies.

Somehow, he seems relieved that Cater accepts his suggestion, nodding as he leans back in his chair. They'd been so close, that if he'd gotten even a little closer--

Pushing that thought away, he brings his cup up, polishing off his drink.

"I'm ready whenever you are... I do hope this doesn't ruin any of the plans you made...?"

"No way!" Feeling full of energy as Rayne sits back--because he needs to let that built-up tension go somewhere, Cater knocks back the last of his own coffee before standing--pulling Rayne up by their joined hands without thinking. "The best kind of plans are the ones that we come up with, together."

Anything else he'd thought of would always be there for another day. And maybe there would be other days, with Rayne, after all.

That is when Rayne realizes their hands were still together. That Cater knew they were, with how he was tugged up by their joined hands. His chest tightens as he's tugged along. Once they reach the door, Rayne lets go, shoving his hand into his pocket instead. Sorry, Cater, but... he can't risk it.

Opening the door for Cater, he ends up leading the way this time, not mentioning anything about the way they'd held hands, or the way he'd dropped them the moment he thought people could be looking at them. He does, however, actually talk a little more as they walk this time, explaining how he'd wandered through town in his first year at the academy and happened upon this shop. It's... really not the most interesting story, but a story nonetheless!

When they reach a spot of town that doesn't seem to have shops within it, Rayne begins to lead Cater towards a half blocked off alleyway, that was hidden by a bramble of a rosebush on either side, with white roses blossoming on them. Court of Hearts Curios was further down the alley, almost tucked away among the strange plants and things that grew within this space. It's weird, considering they're in the city and all, but Rayne keeps pushing them on, until they reach the little shop, with it's sign and all.

The sign features a playing card - the Queen of Hearts - with the words 'Court of Hearts Curios' painted on.

Moving to the door, Rayne opens it for Cater, motioning lightly.

That flutter from earlier falls into a despondent crash when Rayne snatches his hand back to himself. He can't really blame the guy...they weren't even supposed to be friends, let alone close enough to walk around holding hands. And beyond that, Rayne was a bit of a public figure. It made sense he wouldn't want to be seen that way. He forces himself to shake off the feeling, his hands in his own pockets as he follows easily by Rayne's side, nodding along to the explanation. The guy is usually so tight-lipped, it's hard not to follow along with every little word. As if at any point he might simply stop talking altogether.

And it's fun, too, being led through the town in a way that only someone who's been there for much longer could do. Cater liked exploring the nooks and crannies of the places he moved to, but it usually took much longer than he had time for, to find the real hidden gems. This feels like one of them, and his eyes are all alight as they reach the Court of Hearts Curios.

"This place is so cool!"

As soon as he steps in, he wants to look at everything. But where to even start, OMG!

For Rayne... it felt like a loss of warmth. Both for his hand, that craved the touch of another, and his chest, which had felt so warm and tight, now felt cold. That tightness stays, but transitions to something else. The tightness of desire, of need, of childish wants and pleas. Rayne pushes down those feelings, in favor of enjoying the moment. In favor of not breaking apart those thoughts of his, not unpacking the feelings that he'd thought were buried so low no one could ever wrench them back to the surface.

The way Cater's eyes light up isn't missed at all. Rayne steps in behind him, letting the door close. The store is small, lit up mainly with the careful light of flaming lanterns, allowing a soft glow around them and the shelves within the store. One wall was filled with books on different crafts, different aspects of magic and the history of different places around their world. Other sections of the store seemed to be set out for their respective supplies. Crystals, herbs, different potion base liquids, sets of cards, candles, wax, blends of tea-- you name it, it was probably here.

Rayne offers a slight wave to the elderly woman behind the counter, who greets him by name, seeming surprised that he'd brought someone along. Rayne seems to half shrug. "One second, Cater. You can start looking around. I'll be back."

With that, Cater's abandoned for the moment in the front of the shop, as Rayne moves over to the counter. He speaks with the older woman - whose name is apparently Alice - briefly, asking her if she needed help with anything while he was here. Sure, she could use magic, but this seems to be something that Rayne did often, helping where he could. The woman accepts his offer-- and Rayne ends up slipping behind the counter, through a door to the back room with her.

It's a few minutes before he's coming back out with a large cardboard box, carrying it over towards one of the shelves of crystals. There, he pulls out his wand, going about the quick task of unloading the box onto the shelf. With that done, he nods to Alice, before shifting to move back to Cater's side, wherever he might have gotten off to in the store while he'd been busy.

"Have you found anything that caught your eye?" Rayne asks, slipping his wand back away. Was he going to explain? No.

Left to his own devices, Cater certainly spends time browsing--but he has to admit, Rayne still has his attention. It's hard not to notice and appreciate just what he's doing, offering to help the shopkeeper without provocation. It's sweet, and he feels himself light on his feet as he turns back to the shelves, not wanting Rayne to feel as if he's being watched and judged.

No, no, everything here is the most normal thing in the world, nothing to comment on whatsoever!

"So much here is totes sick," he replies as Rayne rejoins him, giddy smile wide across his face. "I don't even know what I'd take with me, I feel like I could get lost in here all day!"

Gods, why did Cater speak like that? 'Totes sick'... what does that even mean??? Rayne seems to stare for a second too long, confusion written in his eyes, before he lets it fall away, resting both of his hands on his hips as he peers at the items on the shelf nearest Cater.

It's easy to tell that he gives Cater a few glances, even as he's peering at the items.

"I agree," He thinks, at least, if 'totes sick' was... positive. "It's one of the quieter places, too, when it's around."

He did seem right, given that they were really the only customers. "I have something I want to buy before we leave. But take your time looking around." They had all day, didn't they?

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