Room 509, Sunday morning/afternoon

[trigons_child]

To say Raven was confused would be an understatement.

After spending a week dealing with the effects the other Fandom and dying there, she was slowly starting to feel better -- or at least better at compartmentalizing and denying. Talking to Karla, Anakin, and even Max had helped a great deal. Then Chuck had been so nice about wanting to make her feel better. She'd told Anakin that she thought it wise that she back off from experiencing emotions, and he had agreed, but she wanted so much to balance out the awfulness she had experienced with something good, and love was very very good.

What she had experienced with Chuck had been wonderful and amazing, everything and nothing like she had imagined it would be. But when it was over, he had brusquely told her that there were things he needed to do, and she had to leave. There had been nothing more she wanted at that moment than to stay there with him, but she was not familiar with what was customary, so she did as Chuck wished, even if it hurt.

She'd done the walk of shame returned to her room and curled on her bed, unable to sleep with all the thoughts in her head. Now that she'd tasted love, she wanted more. (The fact that it wasn't love, but sex? Totally beyond her.) Chuck loved her, and she wanted so much now to make him happy, but she wasn't sure what she should do. Maybe Joan would have advice for her. The thought of looking through some of the books in Aphrodite's store also occurred to her, but she wasn't sure she was up for that yet.


[Door is ajar, post is open.]

Comments

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"I wish there was someone you could talk to who knows more about this stuff than I do," Joan said. "What about one of your other friends?"

[trigons_child]

"Karla and Dinah are both away," Raven said. She wasn't sure it was something she could bring herself to discuss with Tara (she was a potted plant anyway) or Hurley. And she had to have another talk entirely with Liir first, of course.

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, because Karla and Dinah were so knowledgeable about these matters.

"Maybe your boss?" she suggested.

[trigons_child]

"She is a goddess," Raven protested. "It is within her sphere of influence, yes, but surely she has more important things to focus on." Like, say, running a sex shop. OK, maybe not.

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

Joan nodded. "I bet she thinks her employees are important. At the very least, you should go to the clinic and get a check-up. Someone there can talk to you about safe sex."

[trigons_child]

Blink.

"He did not harm me," Raven said. "It hurt somewhat at first, but that soon faded."

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"That's... good," Joan said. "But I mean safe in the way that protects you from catching a disease or getting pregnant."

[trigons_child]

"Oh," she said quietly. "I feel nothing amiss within myself. And I am certain Chuck would not allow that kind of harm to befall me." She couldn't exactly say if he had taken any precautions -- her eyes had been closed much of the time as she focused on how he had been making her feel.

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"Rachel," she said. "Trust me on this. You need to take steps to protect yourself if you are going to continue a sexual relationship."

[trigons_child]

Well, she certainly hoped to.

Raven nodded. "I will," she said.

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"Thank you. And please be careful," Joan said. "You should talk to Chuck and make sure you are both on the same page about your relationship."

[trigons_child]

"I will," Raven promised. "I am looking forward to seeing him again." And having more sex because it felt so good.

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

Of course she was. Joan wondered if she should talk to Chuck. "Talk to him before you go to bed with him again, please?"

[trigons_child]

"We will speak first," Raven said, nodding.

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"Okay," Joan said, leaning over to hug her again. "I do want you to be happy, Rachel."

She just didn't think that Chuck Bass was going to make her happy.

[trigons_child]

"That is what I want as well," Raven murmured. And Chuck had made her so very happy last night, for awhile at least.

She drew back to look at Joan. "There is one other thing I must tell you," she said. "My true name is not Rachel. It is Raven. I used the name Rachel when I came here so I would appear as a normal girl, but I have since learned that is unnecessary here." Karla and Anakin had learned her name from sharing her thoughts, and others must've picked it up from the other Fandom, but Joan was the first person she'd told herself.

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"Oh. Would you prefer me to call you that?" Joan asked.

[trigons_child]

"I will answer to both names, so whichever you prefer," Raven said. "But I wished to share the truth with you, since you are my friend."

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

Joan smiled. "Thank you for trusting me, Raven."

It would take time to get used to it.

[trigons_child]

"I am glad you are my friend, Joan," Raven said with a smile of her own.

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"Likewise," Joan said.