Rue: Morning's Omissions

Gathering / Conference

Arriving home with the world on their shoulders, Rue takes solace in the company of some of their best friends, Rani and Rachel, though the upcoming mission threatens to drive a wedge between them.

After completing a routine patrol of The Railyard - with a detour first to check in with the protection detail assigned to the Green family, they’re well into the early hours of the morning as Rue silently unlocks the door to the flat. Brainiac's boost has well and truly worn off by now, and it has left their nerves jittery and their mind reeling. Tiptoeing around the living room, Rue grabs a change of clothes and makes a beeline for the bathroom, washing off the day’s grime with a long, hot shower.   In the kitchen, they find a plate of food left for them in the fridge, Rani's little note reading ‘Story time tomorrow?’, along with a doodle of red, stormy skies. Breathing in the scent of the food reminds them of the dinners they shared with Rani and Nadia, and perhaps the fond memory helps just a little with the tension in their body.   Food mostly consumed (and heated with their powers to avoid waking anyone with the ‘ping’ from the microwave), Rue settles on the sofa with a glass of water, eyeing the sleeping pills on the coffee table. They pick up the packet, pursing their lips in thought, then throw it aside unopened. Instead of the medication, they take out their notebook, getting lost in their writing until their ears pick up soft footsteps from Jazz's old room.   The door cracks open slightly, and the gentle voice of their newest flatmate emanates from within, "Rue? That you?"   “Sorry, did I wake you?” Rue asks softly, not wanting to disturb their other flatmate's content snoring.   "I mean, kinda?" Rani says, brushing the sleep from her eyes as she steps into the living room,"I tried waiting up for you, but sleep snuck up on me. I woke up in a pile of my uni books on the bed. Everything okay?"   “Ah, yeah…” Rue wearily rubs the back of their neck, closing their notebook and putting it aside, “it was a long day, that’s for sure.”   "You say that a lot," Rani mutters, making her way around the sofa and sitting beside Rue, turning to face them and peering over to see what they're writing, "What happened? Did it have something to do with the sky turning red?"   Rue pushes the notebook further aside upon catching Rani’s glance, pursing their lips, “That was…” They start, shoulders tense, “Yeah. I told you about Harmony, right?”   "Yeah," Rani says, taking on a more sombre tone as they realise the gravity of what Rue is saying, "She's your friend, right? The one who..."   “Yeah, she’s the one…” Rue nods solemnly, “She was at the power plant, corrupting more people. I- She- It wasn’t looking good.”   "Oh," the girl says, looking down as she tries to think of what to say next, "But you're going to save her, right? That's what you've been working towards. You're gonna get her back and save the day like you always do, aren't you?"   “I’m… certainly going to try my best.” They chuckle mirthlessly, shoulders tense and lip quivering almost imperceptibly, “We banished her to the Hellscape, and we’re going to follow her down there to separate them and get her back.”   "That does not sound like a fun place to go," she says, placing a gentle and practiced hand on Rue's shoulder, "When are you going?"   “In a little over a day,” They say, subconsciously leaning into the gesture, “We’re all taking some time to prepare right now - call in the cavalry, get our affairs in order, you know…”   "That sounds pretty heavy, Rue," she replies, her face etched with concern, "You okay?"   “I’m-“ They stop themself from saying ‘fine’, looking at Rani sheepishly as they remember their promise, “No, I’m not okay. Everything’s pretty fucking far from okay. You know, I started my day talking to a therapist. I’m starting to think that I’m going to have to pay her a lot…”   "Yeah, Rue. I'm sorry, I wish I could help, but..." she falters, trying her best but less than equipped to deal with all of this, "Do you... want a hug?"   There’s a brief pause, the silence tangible between them, until Rue suddenly moves, wrapping their arms around their friend and burying their head against her chest. Despite the lack of tears, their body is shaking as they release a shuddering breath, weeks of pent up emotions overflowing as they cling onto the fabric of Rani’s shirt.   “I d-don’t know how to do this…” They hiccup, their voice cracking, “What if I’m not strong enough? W-what if I mess up again?”   "It's okay, Rue," Rani says, a little surprised by their reaction but gently wrapping her arms around them and patting down their hair in her very own oh-so-compassionate way, "You've got so much on your shoulders. You always have. But no-one expects as much out of you as you do yourself. If you've not got the strength, then remember that you're not alone. You've got me, you've got Rachel, you've got your teammatesteammates, all your new friends, The Vigil and the whole City behind you,"   Rani looks down, trying to make eye-contact with their friend and giving them a warm smile, "You've got everything you need, Rue. You'll do it, because you'll try your best. You'd never allow yourself to do anything less. And I have faith that with everything else you've got going for you, that'll be just about enough to get you through this. I believe in you," she pauses for a moment, giggling slightly as she thinks, "And besides, I've got a surprise in mind for you when you finish. So, you've gotta do it, so you can see what it is!"   “I could do with a positive surprise for once.” Rue says weakly, gradually untangling themself from Rani’s arms and looking a little embarrassed, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to… It’s been a really long day. I know I’m not alone, but between trying to rescue our friend from an Archdemon, planning to save Jazz’s soul from Hell, and the daily chaos that our team has to face, it… well, it gets a little overwhelming.”   "Well," she replies, thinking for a moment, "When you're done, maybe we could take a holiday or something? You could clearly use the break, and I'm getting sick of looking at books all summer."   “You’re not the first person to mention a holiday,” Rue says, smiling faintly, “Warp suggested Ireland. I’ve never been much further beyond Bathala than Sigarda, so it would definitely be something different.”   "I'll start planning," Rani replies with a beaming smile, "At least this way, you've got something to look forward to. Now, look. The sun's starting to rise. Why don't I make us some pancakes and then you can have a little bit of rest?"   “I’m not too sure on the resting part,” They mumble awkwardly, glancing at the discarded packet of sleeping pills, “I’ve still got a lot to sort before we are meeting up again, and I sometimes actually feel worse if I wake up from the nightmares… I know I’ll need to rest up before we go, but I feel like I can’t just yet. Not until I have everything in order.”   Rani rolls her eyes at the same old Rue, gently pushing them to the back of the couch, "Fine. Then, just sit there and don't do anything," she says, standing up, "I'll be back in a minute."   Rue opens their mouth as if to object, but a single glare from Rani makes them snap it shut again, offering her a slightly bemused smile as they acquiesce. They watch as she disappears into the kitchen, deftly moving around the space to gather the ingredients and necessary cooking utensils.   Rue retrieves their notebook once more, opening it on the page they had been writing on earlier, bringing pen to paper. They get lost in thought for a while, their mind drifting back to the day’s events. After a few minutes, the words start to flow onto the paper, filling pages with an almost endless stream of emotions. They finish one letter, then, after a moment of contemplation, they start another, this one addressed to a nearby recipient.   By the time they finish, Rani has successfully prepared a hefty stack of pancakes, the smell filling the air in the apartment. They tear the pages out of the notebook, closing it and putting it aside once more before folding the letter in their hands. They stand up and shuffle over to the cabinet in the corner of the room, opening a drawer and fishing out an envelope. Sealing the letter within, Rue scribbles Rachel’s name on the front, bringing it with them into the kitchen.   “That smells amazing,” They comment truthfully.   "You've got that right," Rani says, her usual humility disappearing the second pancakes become part of the conversation, "And, I must say, I think this batch is one of my-"   She stops suddenly, as the telltale sound of movement can be heard from behind the nearby wall. The two make eye contact, Rani grinning like a naughty child as she stifles a giggle and mutters, "Uh oh..."   “Uh oh, indeed. I’ll set the table,” Rue says with a grin, glancing back at the door to Rachel’s bedroom before stepping closer to their friend and lowering their voice, “About what I just told you… Can we please keep it all between us for now?” They look at Rani pleadingly, hoping to get their point across before the appearance of TrollRach, “You know she’ll want to come with, and I don’t have it in me to argue with her right now. I promise I’ll deal with it, but please… just for now.”   With an uncomfortable look, Rani acquiesces, nodding reluctantly as she moves back over to the stove to prepare another batch.   A moment later, the door to Rachel's bedroom creaks open and the redhead pokes her head out, nose-first. Rue has often been surprised by just how messy her hair could get after just one night, and this morning was no exception. How she could see through the cloud of red hair, poking in every direction like some sort of abstract art piece, was anyone's guess, but when she looks at Rue and says "Izz'ere food?" the younger hero can't help but smile.   “Rani made pancakes,” They say, covertly slipping the envelope into their pocket as they turn to the side to reach into one of the cupboards, “Why don’t you take a seat? I’ll get us some plates and make you some coffee.”   Rachel grunts in approval and meanders over to the kitchen table, collapsing onto the chair with all the grace of a controlled demolition as she looks around the room, "Bett'r not be that decaf shit..."   ''Well, I got a bag of half-caff, but that's the best I can offer,'' Rue answers, boiling the kettle whilst they set the table, ''I threw everything else out, remember?''   Rachel's head hits the table with a melodramatic bonk as she grimaces and mutters, "I hate you..."   The other two share an endearing look as Rani slides one last pancake onto a plate before ferrying it over to the grumpy superhero, "Come on, Rach. You can't hate anyone on an empty stomach. Dig in."   In an attempt to appease TrollRach, they rummage through the cupboard to retrieve a bottle of premium caramel syrup, adding a healthy dollop of sweetness into the half-caff coffee. They stir the concoction in the mug, gently placing it in front of Rachel.   ''I've got some errands to run today, so how about I get some of those nice pastries from The Fruity Kettle?'' They suggest, ''To make up for the lack of caffeine.''   "Yeah, fine. Whatever..." Rachel grumbles as she inhales the first pancake, neither of the other two sure if she even chewed, but as the sugary goodness goes down, she gives a doe-eyed grin and it's mission accomplished, "What're you doing today? I wanted to ask about the red sky..."   ''Oh, you know how it is,'' Rue starts casually, casting a quick glance at Rani, ''Another day, another villain causing a near-nuclear meltdown. They really need to up their security at the power plant.''   Before she gets the chance to ask anything, they telekinetically move another pancake over to Rachel's plate from the pile, offering a cheeky smirk.   ''I'm going to have to speak to a few people today about the cleanup, file my report... and follow up with Dr. Upton.''   "Oh, you're going to see Indigo?" she asks, her voice perking up at mention of the Doctor as she happily digs into the extra pancake, "Want a lift?"   ''That's alright,'' They say, pouring themself a glass of orange juice, ''I've got a lot to do beforehand, and besides, it's... Well, it's a private visit, so I think it will do me well to have some time on my own before and after.''   "Suit yourself," she says, shrugging as she sits back from her plate, placing a happy hand over her distended belly, "Guess I'll make my own entertainment. Hey, Rani. Wanna go shopping? My treat..."   "Really!?" The younger woman's eyes light up and her teeth on full display in a grin not entirely unlike an excitable child.   Rue smiles fondly at the pair of them, watching as Rani begins to list off shops she’s been meaning to visit as Rachel continues to devour pancake after pancake. They savour every second of it, a moment of tranquillity within the chaos.   After a while, when there’s not a crumb left, Rue moves up to collect the dishes, tidying up the kitchen and scribbling down the used up ingredients on the shopping list on the fridge.   They watch as Rachel disappears into the bathroom, waiting for her to get into the shower before turning back towards Rani, who is wiping down the dining table.   “Thank you for going with her,” They say appreciatively, “I think it’ll be nice for her to have something fun to do.”   "Of course," she says, smiling warmly, "I like Rachel. She's fun. Plus, I get a major street-cred boost by hanging out with a superhero."   ''Well I'm glad you two are getting along,'' Rue replies, their expression slowly becoming more serious. ''You both matter a great deal to me...'' There is a pause that carries on between them, and a knot starts to form in Rue's chest, ''Rani, I...'' They start hesitantly, reaching for the envelope in their pocket, ''I need your help.''   "I hope this isn't more lies, Rue," she says, her brow furrowing with reluctance, "Because I'm not sure how many more my heart can take."   ''We haven't lied, per se, just... not told the whole story.'' Rue mutters, clearly not convinced by their own words. They hold out the letter for Rani to see, struggling a little to meet her gaze as they continue, ''I won't be able to focus on what we have to do if Rach is there putting herself at risk. I know it's unfair of me to ask this, but I need to know that she's safe, so please, until it's too late for her to join in, can we keep this between us?''   Rani raises an almost accusatory brow in Rue's direction, taking the note from them and looking it over, "And this is?"   ''An explanation, an apology...'' Rue says sheepishly, ''A little bit of both. I know I'll have a lot more explaining and apologising to do once all of this is over, to both of you, and I promise I will do whatever I can to make it all up to you... but I'm hoping that this will at least help her understand why I'm doing what I'm doing for now.''   "Right..." she says, digesting the task at hand, "And you want me to give this to her at some point tomorrow, and hope she doesn't shoot the messenger?"   ''I- Yeah...'' Rue nods, eyes downcast in embarrassment, ''I can text you just before we leave so you know when to give it to her. She'll be angry, for sure, but she likes you, so hopefully it'll just be directed at me. I'm so, so sorry to ask this of you, I know it's not fair.''   "Alright, Rue," she says reluctantly, "I'll do it, for you. But you owe me one... actually, like, five."   ''I'm going to have to make a list of what I owe to whom sometime, it's getting hard to keep track,'' Rue huffs, smiling gratefully, ''Thank you, Rani.''   "It's okay, you won't have to worry about it for long," she says, grinning devilishly, "I've already got something in mind."   ''I'm sure you do.'' They chuckle, affectionately ruffling Rani's hair as they walk past her into the living room, where they collect their notebook and Harmony's pocket watch. They start getting ready to head out despite the still relatively early hour, determination driving them forward to sort out their affairs before they can get any rest.   ''I'm not sure what time I'll be back later, but I'll keep you posted.'' They say to both women now that Rachel has reappeared from the bathroom, her previously unruly hair successfully tamed.   "Alright, Rue. Catch you later," Rachel says as she makes her way into the living room, turning to Rani as the door closes on them and saying, "Alright, Rani. Grab your bag, we're off too and I'm thinking you'd look great in a leather jacket..."