Your Family Now

Crowe grabbed her hand. "My gift is inside. We are all going out to eat, and I got your outfit upstairs. Oh Nyx, weres the leg sheath for her kukri?" Nyx handed it to Crowe. Nyx took Raya's hand "Let me do your hair starlight; then I will leave you to get dressed."

Raya followed Nyx upstairs and sat down. "Starlight, even here, I want you to keep this weapon on you. Your sword you can summon, but there have been times in fights where that has been blocked. This way, you will have this close just in case." When he finished, she turned and kissed him. "I will always keep it with me, my hero." Nyx kissed her as Crowe walked in. "Okay, you're done out. We will see you there. Bye, hero." Crowe pushed him out the door.

Crowe turned to look at Raya with a smile. "okay, see them bags?" Raya looked to where her friend was pointing. "Go get dressed, birthday girl." Raya did as she was asked. When she was done, she looked in the mirror and smiled. Raya strapped Nyx's blade to her left thigh. Then walked out to were Crowe was sitting. "Damn, girl, you look great. Let's get your makeup done and the rest of your hair."

Raya looked in the mirror once more and couldn't believe what she saw. "You, my dear sister, are going to knock that hero of his feet. You ready, we are going with Nyx's mom and sister?" Raya just nods and follows Crowe downstairs.

Nyx was inside the restaurant when Raya walked in. It was Libertus who saw her first his jaw dropped. " Damn buddy, you got lucky with her. Try not to screw it up." Nyx turns to see Raya and smiles as she walks up to him.

"What is the hero caught off his guard?" Raya says playfully. "You look... Magical. You truly are my enchanting starlight." Raya smiled as she took the arm she offered her. They go sit down with everyone

Crowe hands her a drink. "No, Crowe, I still have a headache from last time." Crowe looked at Raya. " you going to make me drink all alone?" Raya laughed at her friend and caved. "Fine, you win." Raya down the shot. Nyx laughed. "Crowe talked her into being her drinking buddy again," Nyx told Libertus. "Crowe keeps this up, and she will turn Raya into crazy person.." Nyx laughs at his friend. "Yeah, but Raya needs this after that fight she had. Lib, it was crazy. The look in her eyes. Man, it even scared me."

Raya lost track of shots at 10 when Crowe told her the two should have a warping contest. "Okay, let's go," Raya said. Nyx happened to see the two get up and walk outside. "Lib, I get the feeling they are about to do something stupid." Libertus looked up. "Knowing Crowe's leading her, I know they are going to do something dumb."

Nyx and Libertus said good night to his mom and sister and ran after the two trouble makers. Nyx was looking around when he saw Crowe hand Raya a bottle, and the two walked down the sidewalk towards his house. Thankfully they did not live far away. So he was happy to see they got there safely. That was in till he heard Crowe say. "Ready on 3,2,1 Warp" Raya and Crowe warped across the beach, both missing there landing and laughing.

Raya looked over at Crowe. "I saved the bottle." Crowe laughed. "Good girl, pass it here." Raya smiled as she took a drink then handed it to Crowe. "Ready for round 2?" Raya says, standing up. "Hell yeah." Crowe and Raya warped once more. This time they landed in the water. "Crowe save the bottle," Raya yelled, laughing.

Nyx looked at Libertus. "And they say I'm reckless." Nyx sighs. "I guess we should go save them." Nyx and libertus walked closer to them. When Raya warped once more. Nyx saw where she was headed and bent in front of her catching her. "Hey Nyx, what are you doing here?" Nyx raised his eyes at her. "Saving my starlight from warping into a cliffside." Raya smiled. "RAYA I GOT THE BOTTLE," Crowe yelled.

Raya turned in Nyx's arms. "Don't even think about it." Too late, she warped to Crowe. Nyx couldn't help but laugh at her. He went to were Libertus was and smiled "Well I guess they are fine as long as we are here to keep them safe... From themselves." The two friends laughed, watching Crowe and Raya having so much fun.

Raya came and sat down by Nyx. Nyx put his arm around her and pulled her close. "You, my starlight, are gonna hate yourself and Crowe in the morning." Raya looked at him. " I can love you tonight, though." Nyx smiles. "Sorry, starlight, but as much as I would love that you're not in the right frame of mind for that." Raya pouts and lays her head on his arm.

Raya woke up the next morning to her phone, buzzing.

Crowe: I hate me this morning

Raya: I don't hate you. My head hurts too much to hate you

Crowe: I'm going to kill Libertus if he doesn't shut up

Raya: I don't know where Nyx is

Hero: Starlight, you awake?

Raya: Yes, why are you texting me?

Hero: Because I'm not dumb enough to walk in there. You're armed and hungover.

Raya: Is the hero afraid of a woman?

Hero: Hell yeah, I'm. starlight you can be scary at times

Raya smiled as she got up and went downstairs. "Now look here, hero. I'm not that bad." Raya ran into the wall. "Ouch." Nyx came around to see her rubbing her arm. "Hey babe, there's a wall there." Raya looked at him, summoning her weapon. Nyx took a step back. Nyx's mom handed her a cup of strong coffee. Selena came into the room, laughing at a video she was watching.

Nyx walked over, "whatcha watching shorty?" Selena glared at her brother. "Libertus sent me a video of Raya and Crowe trying to warp last night. It's funny." Raya spit out her coffee on Nyx. "sorry," Was all she could say. Raya pulled out her phone.

Raya: Remind me to kill you

Libertus: What did I do?

Raya: You know what you did. Because of it I just spit out coffee on Nyx

Libertus: Holy shit that's great LMAO

Raya: I hate you right now

Raya: Crowe beat the hell out of Libertus for me

Crowe: np

Libertus: Hey no fair calling in Crowe

Raya: Later

Raya goes and sits outside, enjoying the sun and warmth. "How you are feeling, babe?" she looked up at a now shirtless Nyx and smiled. "Do you like what you see starlight?" Raya runs a finger down his side. When she feels a shiver run down his body, she smiles. "That I do hero." Nyx picks her up in his arms. "Nyx, what are you doing?"

Nyx smiles as he walks closer to the water. "Nyx Ulric, don't you dare. I will kill you. Nyx, I mean, it don't." Nyx sat her down when he heard the fear in her voice. "Babe, what is it? You were in the water last night." Raya looked horrified and slowly backed away from him.

Raya felt her body start to panic as she turned and ran. Raya kept running; she didn't care where. She was not paying any mind to where she was going till two arms came around her waist."Let me go." Raya couldn't think clearly.

Nyx held on to her. "Baby, stop. Listen to me. Listen to my voice. That's it. Starlight, you were about to run off a cliff. Talk to me." Nyx was now standing in front of her. He ran his hand down the side of her face. Nyx saw how scared she was, and it tore at him. "I can't swim. My father tossed me in the water when I was young, and I almost drowned. Luckily a couple saw me and helped me. My brother was so mad that he.." Nyx held her close. "Shh, It's okay. I got you. Oh my poor starlight, the life you have lived."

Nyx walked back with her when she stopped and looked up at him. "Nyx, can you... Teach me how to swim?" Nyx smiled at her. "Anything for you, my starlight." So for the next few hours, Nyx helped her learn how to swim. He never left her side and kept a hand on her always.

They were sitting on the sand when Raya played her head down for a bit. "Nyx, come play with me," Selena yelled. Nyx kissed Raya. "Have fun, hero." Raya fell asleep watching the two playing in the water.

Nyx walked over to see Raya had fallen asleep. "Starlight you ready. Baby, your burning up...Raya, wake up." When she did, he looked at her. " How long have you been feeling like this?" She looked confused. Nyx picked her up, but she made him put her back down just in time to throw up.

Nyx got her back to there room and helped her change. "Lay down. I will get you some meds and water." Raya reached out for him. "No, please don't leave me." Nyx looked at her. Nyx grabbed his phone and texted his mom.

Nyx: Mom Raya's sick and won't let me leave can you run up some meds and water please?

Mom: Of course. Do you know what she has?

Nyx: My guess too much Galahad whiskey

Mom: Okay, I know, just the cure. Be right up

Nyx pulled Raya into his arms. "Lay on, my babe." Raya curled up next to him when his mom came in. "Raya sweetheart, can you sit up for a minute?" Nyx helped her sit up as his mom handed her some meds and a glass of water. "There, you will start feeling better in no time." Raya nods and lays back down on Nyx's chest.

When Raya next woke up, she was still in Nyx's arms. "How are you doing?" Raya slowly moved. "Better, what did your mom give me?" Nyx laughed. "I found it best not to ask that question." Raya laughed. "Nyx, your so lucky to have such a caring family." Nyx tilted her chin to look at him. "Starlight, they are your family too. My mom adores you. My sister talks about you all the time. Hell, her friends don't care that her brother is a Glaive, but his girlfriend that's a Glaive is so cool, and they all wanna meet you." Raya laughed.

Raya stayed there for a while."Nyx?" she said, moving to where she was now laying on top of him, her head propped up on his chest. Nyx opened his eyes to look at her. "There was one other person that lived the night my parents were killed. My brother, I have not talked to him since I came to Insomnia. I found out later that he was the one that killed them."

Nyx was rubbing her back. "Is he the one that did that to your back?" Raya nods. "yea, it's why I snapped when I saw how the Imperials had your sister." Nyx brings her closer to him and kisses her. "Then he better hope I never meet him. My starlight, I will always protect you. I have one other gift for you." Raya watched him get up and go to his bag. When he comes back, he gets back in bed with her.

Nyx puts her back on top of him. "Raya, I was gonna wait till later, but I think now is perfect." Nyx pulls out two purple beads and places one on the end of her braid and the other on his. "Raya will be you merry this crazy man that will love you till his dying breath. Even that would not stop me from waiting for you in the beyond?" Raya felt her tears fall as she kissed him. "yes, Nyx, yes."

When the two finally came downstairs, Crowe and Libertus wherein the living room. Crowe ran over and hugged her. "Raya, I'm so sorry I almost killed you." Raya couldn't help but laugh at that. "It's fine, Crowe. I'm betting this won't be the last time you get me drunk and doing dumb shit."

Libertus looked at them both then Nyx's mom. "Did you know he was gonna do this?" she shook her head as tears came to her eyes."Ma don't cry" Crowe looked confused as she looked at everyone then back at Raya. "Nyx asked me to marry him, and I said yes." Crowe's jaw dropped. "Holy shit, sweet."

Raya was sitting outside on there last night in Galahad. Nyx's mom came out and sat next to her. "We are all proud to have you in this family, Raya. You saved my daughter when you didn't even know us. Shown my son a happiness I never thought he would find with how reckless he is. You have wisdom and strength. This is your home now, too, so come visit whenever you want to." Raya smiled as the older woman hugged her.