Struggle Ch 26 -Facade-

Struggle Ch 26 -Facade-


Blizzard jumped, turned around and almost fell on her ass, all the while getting to her feet and facing him, "Raid! It's not what you--"

Raid held up a hand, "We need to take this elsewhere. This is between you and me. Canny doesn't need to be in the middle of this."

Blizzard opened her mouth to speak, or maybe she went slack jawed out of shock. It was obvious that he was furious, however he was forcing himself to keep a level head, at least until they got some privacy.

Cannon reached out and squeezed Blizzard's hand, "... I can go. I need a change of scenery anyways." She rose to her feet, her form shifting into her angelic form, all the while she was giving Blizzard a small hug. She whispered, "Good luck." She let go, moving toward the door. Cannon stopped short where Raid stood. His gaze caught hers.

Cannon stood there for a moment, looking up at him. She could tell he was trying to stay composed. Her arms snaked around his torso, giving him a comforting embrace, "Try to hear her out." It was just a breath, but it was loud enough for Raid to hear.

Raid held her tightly for a moment, "I intend to...," he replied, just as softly.

Canny pulled away. Without sparing another moment, she left the two in her room.

The two stood in silence for the next few minutes. It felt awkward. The air was thick with tension though Blizzard held the air of remorse while Raid on the other hand was still quite livid.

"...I've been looking for you all day." It was Blizzard that broke the silence, though it felt like a trial just to even speak.

"I've noticed," Raid crossed his arms and leaned back against the sink's edge.

"Look... I wasn't trying to get you demoted! All I wanted was to get my position back!"

"I'm aware."

"Then why are you so mad at me?! If Elvira has already explained everything to you, then you know it was her decision, not mine!"

"... You're right. Elvira did explain that to me, and more. I'm pissed that I've been demoted. I'm more surprised that I'm alive actually. I don't deny that I've fucked up. I figured it would cost me something eventually. … What I'm really pissed about is you."

"Me?! What have I--"

"You've done nothing but play dumb around me for years! The whole time I've known you, you've been nothing but a carefree, happy go lucky free spirit. Some would even say a ditz. For years I've been wondering, who the hell had been leaving me notes, giving me anonymous pointers on what I've done right and wrong. Could not figure that shit out, but here you are. You've been fucking lying to me since day one. Why the hell wouldn't I be pissed?!"

"It's not a lie. I am who I am! Yes I act stupid and ditsy. Yes I say stupid stuff. It's not to make me look stupid! I just … I try to make people laugh and feel good, even if I look like a royal dummy because of it."

"Blizzard, I can think of ten different times you've played stupid, just make yourself look as such. I can think of at least twice as many lies and excuses you've given me all the times I've spotted you lurking about. All these years we've known each other, and you couldn't even tell me what the hell you were or at least what you were doing. What am I to you? Some screw up wanna be? A dog that you just toss a bone at every now and then? I am sick and tired of people bullshitting me Blizzard! Out of all the people I've encountered here, I expected you to be the most honest!"

"You're tired of people bullshitting you?! Raid, everyone here has something to hide or something they don't want to face. I wouldn't even have considered coming back to the medical wing if it weren't for you and Can Can!"

"Me?! I didn't ask you to take up something you hate!"

"I don't hate it! I've never hated saving lives! It was the experiments, the lost of lives! I loved my job!"

"Then why the hell did you quit?! Why all the bullshit? The masking the real you? I feel like  I don't even know you!"

Tears were stinging her eyes and seemed to burn as they trickled down her cheeks, "I COULDN'T SAVE MY SISTER! That's why I left Raid! I couldn't save Tundra! It was the last straw! If I can't even help my baby sister, then what is the point?!" Blizzard was yelling through sobs. "I'm sorry. …. I had enough of it. … And the stress was making me forget the real me. That's why I quit."

Blizzard was holding herself up by having one hand press against the surface of a table, while her free hand furiously wiped at her tears.

Raid was stunned at the outburst. Her reasons weren't what he was expecting. He shifted his weight and started to approach her.

Blizzard refused to look at him and kept her arm over her eyes, "You reminded me why I loved doing what I did. … For the past few years I've been living through you." Her body shuddered when she felt his hand touch her arm. He gripped the moist limb and with a gentle force, made her reveal her face to him. "And … I wanted to help you. Wanted to make things … easier for you if I could. … You have so much potential to do great things … I just wanted to help you achieve those things, even if it was doing it from behind your back."

"I'm still pissed," his arms wrapped around her form. He could feel her tremble from within his embrace. "But at least I understand you a bit better now."

Even as she held her breath, she couldn't force herself to stop shaking. It had been many years since she had been in the arms of someone she deeply cared for and considering how that ended for her, it only brought back painful memories that her body knew quite well.

"Thank you … for everything. … Try to calm down. I'm not upset." He pulled away from her, but still kept his hands on her shoulders. "Look at me."

She nervously looked up at him, "I am... but I just..."

"Still upset? … Blizzard, I knew I was fuckin' up my work. I knew I was making irrational decisions. And I know I wasn't taking much care of myself either. … But I've been lucky. You and your sisters have taken care of us the moment we came in here, but you especially have looked after me. … You were there for me when I couldn't even help myself. … Don't think I haven't forgotten that, because I haven't. … Do you really think I could hate you for something like this? Even after all you've done for me?"

"...But if I hadn't even brought up--"

"Yes, I probably wouldn't had been demoted."

Blizzard's form drooped.

"But … I'd probably be dead instead. Hell... knowing how Elvira is, you've probably saved my life."

"...Well yeah but...."

Raid couldn't help but to sigh. He figured she had carried the burden of a facade for so long, it only added to the guilt of what happened today.

"What is it going to take to get you to forget about this whole mess? Babe I'm fine. Hell, now would be a good time to apologize for being a jerkass the past couple weeks. Which … I really am sorry about that. … It's another reason why I'm not pissed off at losing my practice. Maybe now I can get some sleep."

Blizzard cracked a smile, she couldn't help herself, "I thought sex was the only stress relieving activity you knew how to partake in."

Raid chuckled lightly, "It is. I'm not artistically inclined like my sister and I prefer not to hit things unlike Cain. I'm a lover, not a fighter."

Blizzard giggled, "So I've heard." She leaned back against his form, her hands clinched onto the fabric of his shirt and lab coat. "...I needed that laugh."

"Thought I'd return the favor... since you've always managed to make me laugh...."


For a few minutes they found themselves lost in each other's embrace and actually forgot where they were. Cannon had been standing outside for at least fifteen minutes now. She listened to the muffled voices from outside, and waited even after they grew silent.

'What the hell is going on in there? Damn, did they kill each other or somethin?' Cannon could wait no longer. '...Are they even in there still? I could had sworn I heard their voi- … Whoa!' Cannon had cracked opened the door to see if they were even still in there.

They were definitely still in there alright and lip locked to boot.