Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There was a pounding in their head, and the first few moments are nothing but disorientation and blurs of figures moving all around. They heard voices they didn’t recognize, but they were different than the ones that had plagued their mind the past few weeks. They weren’t whispers of corruption or commands laced with cruelty. They were young and childlike, shouting and causing some kind of commotion. 

 As everything slowly comes into focus, Raine recognized the kids from Eda’s photograph standing in front of them. The young girl with large brown eyes and wild hair, and the small demon with horns and a mischievous grin that Raine knows the kid learned from Eda. 

There were more children there, and Raine doesn’t even know where to begin with taking them all in. There are two girls and two boys, and they do a double-take at the blonde one. They were absolutely certain that it’s the Golden Guard, and they feel a sense of panic set in. 

What’s going on? 

Where are they? 

Where’s Eda? 

Eda. 

They saw her next, and she’s leaning against a tree, wincing in a way that made Raine’s head pound harder. She’s clutching her side, bloodied feathers scattered all around the ground, and Raine began to make out the words that the children are screaming out all around. 

“Eda’s hurt!” the demon shouted.

“We can’t keep moving with her in this condition!"

"They hit her with that spell as we were escaping!” 

Raine grimaces at the volume at which they all yelled, and grit their teeth at the thought of being present for it all and yet remembering none of it. How could they not remember anything? When they saw Belos and Kikimora, they were going to- 

“Doesn’t anybody know a healing spell?” one of the girls asked, adjusting her glasses as she sent a gaze flickering towards Raine. She blinked, parting her mouth with surprise. “Oh, you’re awake!” 

The kids all spun around to look at them, their expressions a mixture of relief and apprehension. 

Although there was still a sharp pain in the back of their skull, Raine didn’t hesitate before moving towards Eda, their mind rummaging around as they try and think of a spell that could help. Healing was never their specialty, and Titan, why hadn’t they payed more attention those times Eda convinced them to eavesdrop on the classes at Hexide?  

Eda widened her eyes at the sight of them approaching.

“Raine,” she let out a sigh. “Is that actually you?”

“Yeah,” they said. “It’s me. At least, I think so? I feel like me.” 

“Good,” Eda said, and the relief on her face was palpable. “I was worried it wouldn’t work.” 

Raine was about to ask what they did to break them free, but Eda spoke first. 

“Are you okay?” she asked, her voice so full of concern, and Raine felt something in them stir. 

They shook their head at her, and they couldn't help but to chuckle against the tears that were forming. “You’re the one bleeding and you’re asking me if I’m okay?”

Raine was reminded of the time Eda took a grugby ball to the face, her nose bleeding with what seemed like an endless stream of red, and yet she had asked Raine if they were okay afterwards when they had only had to watch horrified from the sidelines.

Some things really never did change, did they? 

Eda gave a pained smile, and her eyes fluttered in a way that made them tense. “You’re the one that was being mind controlled and that we just had to save from Emperor Belos.” 

“Hey, eyes open, Calamity,” Raine said, fighting off the panic that they felt coursing through them. “I’m alright. A little disoriented, but I’m not worried about that right now.” 

I’m worried about you. 

They spared a glance at her side, eyeing the red fabric of her dress that was slowly becoming darker. Her hand that was held there was stained with red, and the sight made Raine’s own blood run cold. 

That was bad.  

Really bad . 

They turned slightly to address the children lingering behind them, clearing their throat.  

“Can you tell me what happened? My memory… the details are fuzzy. I don’t remember much.”

Eda’s girl frowned, wringing her hands. “Maybe you should rest. Eda said that you would need to. I can figure out a way-” 

“No!” Raine said, and they cringed at how harsh the words came out. “I’m sorry, I- I just can’t rest yet. We have to heal this before she loses too much blood.” 

She gave a small nod in understanding. 

“I don’t know what spell she was hit with,” the girl with purple hair offered. “Luz was with you two when it happened and she said it was just a flash of white.” 

“Okay,” Raine tried to wrack their brain for what spell it could be. A flash of white...that could be any kind of magic, but it certainly ruled out several other potential spells. If they had to take a guess… 

“I think I know what to do that can help us until we can find an actual healer,” Raine said. 

They haven’t taken their gaze off Eda, and they noticed that her eyes have begun to flutter closed again.  

“Eda, I know it hurts and that you’re tired, but you have to keep your eyes open, okay?” Raine move forward to cradle her face.

Eda gave out a hum, her eyes not opening. “You should rest, Rainstorm. You’re safe now.” 

“Stop worrying about me,” Raine said. “You can worry about me later when you aren’t bleeding out in front of me and your kids.” 

“But-” 

“We can both rest when this is all over, okay?” Raine said, lifting their hand to begin the spell. “This is going to hurt. I’m sorry.” 

Eda bit her lip and gave a nod. Raine began to cast the spell, a beam of yellow glowing around her wound. She let out a sharp hiss of pain, and Raine whispered apology after apology, offering what little comfort they could. 

“I’m okay,” Eda reassured them. She sent a look to the worried children that stood all around. “It’s okay.” 

No, Raine thought as they continued on with the spell, it’s not. 

But it will be. 

I’ll make sure of it. 

Chapter Text

It was Raine. 

But it wasn’t really Raine. 

They looked like them, walked like them, even sounded like them. Yet, when Eda peered into those eyes behind the signature round glasses, she knew it wasn’t her Raine. When they had planned the rescue mission on the floor of the Owl House, scribbles on maps and papers crumbled with hypothetical plans scattered about them, none of them thought that Raine would be on the front lines fighting them off. 

How could they have ever predicted that?

Now, spells were flying all around, a colorful catastrophe that Eda might have found beautiful if she weren’t face to face with the ghostly expression of the Bard. She heard the kids shouting taunts, working together to take out the surrounding guards, and that had left Eda with tackling whatever this was. 

Mind control. 

Possession. 

Whatever you wanted to call it, it wasn’t them. 

“Raine?” she was tentative, reaching out a hand. 

They had summoned their violin, and before Eda could realize it, she was knocked onto her knees with the strike of a chord. 

“Raine!” she shouted. “It’s me! It’s Eda! Don’t you remember me? I’m here to rescue you!” 

Raine didn’t reply, merely cocking their head to the side. 

“I know I don’t look like me,” Eda said, remembering she was in full harpy form. “But you have to trust me. I know you’re in there!” 

“Why aren’t you fighting back?” Raine asked, fingers resting on the chords of violin. They closed their eyes. “Wild witches must be contained. This is the Titan’s will.” they spoke softly. “This is the Titan’s will…” 

“You’re Raine Whispers!” Eda blurted out. “You have to remember who you are! You’re the Head Bard! Even with your adorable stage fright. You love music, and when the melody is just right, you’ll tap your foot and close your eyes to really feel it! You like the mornings and the sunrise, and you keep flowers on your desk because you like the way they smell.” 

Raine blinked, furrowing their brow. 

“You got detention your third year because you lied to try and protect me after I hexed the photographs in Bump’s office,” she continued. “You only came to grudgy games to watch me. You’d stand on the sidelines and I’d always look over and seeing your smile was what made me want to win. You used to wear my jacket around school and Lily would always tease us. We had out first kiss out on our hill. Don’t you remember that? I told you that I love you first, and you never let me hear the end of it.” 

“This is the Titan’s will,” Raine repeated. 

She flinched as their finger moved to play a chord, and she waited for the sound to reach her ears, already preparing for whatever they were about to send her way. 

Instead, she heard a body hit the ground. She looked up to see Hunter standing over an unconscious Raine, his staff in his hand. 

“Sorry,” he said, panting. He cut his eyes down to Raine. “Now let’s get this Coven mark off of them and get the heck out of here.” 

Eda stood up, a gruff thank you on the tip of her tongue when she felt something hit her side. 

Then, everything went white. 

She woke with a start. 

The light from outside is blinding, peering in through a window that is oddly familiar. Eda pushed herself up, realizing very quickly that she was in her childhood bedroom. 

When did she get here? 

The last thing she could remember was... Raine . 

“Raine?” she said, glancing around the room to see if anyone was there. 

The room was silent. 

She was alone.  

There were feathers all around, blood staining the floor, and she fought the urge to groan. She couldn’t remember much past getting away from Belos, fighting with the Owl Beast to keep on flying despite the dizziness that threatened to overtake them both. She knew they landed at some point, but she wasn’t sure how she ended up at her parents house.

 Oh, Titan, her mother was probably going to be insufferable about all of this. 

“Raine!” she called out again, starting to shove herself out of bed, ignoring the searing pain she felt shoot up her body. 

“Woah!” Raine swung open the door, carrying two mugs with steam rising from them. They frantically set them on the dresser, adjusting their glasses with a quick shove as they made their way over to her. “Eda, be careful!” 

Eda felt their hands come to sit on her shoulders, and she let them guide her back fully onto the bed, not finding the strength within herself to actually argue. “Are you okay?” 

“I sat by you all night and you chose the one moment I was gone to wake up,” Raine shook their head, fondness creeping into their expression. 

“You didn’t answer my question,” Eda said. “And why are we at my mother’s house?” 

“I’m alright,” they said, removing their hands from her. “I didn’t know where else to go. I didn’t want to risk going to the Healing Coven and them turning us over to Belos, and I knew that your mom did all that research because of the curse...Pease don’t be too mad at me for coming here. I know you and you family have complicated relationships...b-but you were losing a lot of blood and I was panicking!” 

They took a step away, crossing their arms with discomfort. 

“You? Panicking?” Eda gave a snort. “You really are you again.” 

Raine gave a smile, and they shifted awkwardly, making Eda painfully aware of the gap they’d placed between them. 

“I won’t bite, you know,” Eda said, and gave the bed a pat. “I wouldn’t want to damage the fang.

Raine gave a weak smile. 

 "Sit down?” 

Raine paused for a moment, eyeing her like they might somehow hurt her by simply sitting on her bed with her. She raised a brow, patting the bed again, and Raine gave a sigh. They moved forward and sat down next to her, moving so slow that Eda fought the urge to laugh. 

“I-is this okay?” Raine asked, 

Eda nodded. 

Raine took a few moments of sitting there tensely before they slowly relaxed into the bed, leaning their back against the bed frame. 

“It’s been ages since I was here,” Raine said. 

“What? In my room?” Eda smirked at them. “In my bed?” 

Raine’s mouth fell open, and they flushed a bright red. “T-that’s not w-what I meant!” 

Eda let out a laugh, and immediately grabbed her side as pain shot through her. 

“Eda!?” Raine moved to her, unsure of how to help. 

“I’m okay,” she said, still fighting off a grin. “I just didn’t realize you were going to take our conversation down that road.”

“You’re the worst,” Raine said. “The absolute worst.” 

“Ah, I just can’t help it with you,” she said, and she ran her eyes over them. “But now that you’re this close, you might as well hold me.” 

She grinned, expecting to see the red grow on their face again. Instead, Raine gave her a smile back. 

“Okay,” they said, moving down so that they could lay next to her and wrap their arm around her. “Good?” 

Eda found herself flushing, and she looked away so she could avoid their smug look. “Yeah, uh, good.” 

Raine was warm, and they smelled exactly like she remembered. How long had it been since they’d held her? She never thought this would happen again. Not after everything. 

 She cleared her throat, and couldn’t help but to check on them again. 

“How’s your head?” 

Raine sighed, and Eda could feel their breath on her neck. “It hurts a bit. It almost feels like I got hit in the back of the head? I know it sounds strange but it's the best way to describe it.” 

“Maybe because you were hit in the head,” Eda said. “You don’t remember? Hunter knocked you out.” 

“I suppose I should be fine with the Golden Guard knocking me unconscious?” Raine asked, mirth present in their eyes.  

Eda grinned. “He’s not so bad. He was helping me save you. He hit you right as you were about to…” 

She stopped. Maybe she shouldn’t tell Raine that part?

“When I was about to what?” 

You would want to know, she cursed to herself. 

"When I was about to what, Eda?" 

“You were fighting me,” Eda said, and she immediately reached out, knowing that Raine would pull away.

 She was right, and Raine was about to push themselves out of the bed, but Eda grabbed onto them. 

“Did I do this?” the hatred in their voice chilled Eda to the core. Their eyes glared into her side. “Did I hurt you?” 

Eda tightened her grip on them. 

“Raine! Wait!” she said, trying to pull them down. “You didn’t hurt me. Hunter stopped you!” 

“But I would have! I would have hurt you and I wouldn’t have even known!” 

“That’s the point! You weren’t in control,” Eda said. “I know you’d never hurt me. That was Belos, not you, okay?” 

Raine was looking at her, and she could tell their mind was racing with a million thoughts.

She could see the disgust.

The loathing.

The fear. 

She knew exactly how that felt. 

It was exactly what had destroyed them so long ago. 

“I know you're upset, but don’t leave, Rainestorm,” she said, not even the tiniest bit embarrassed by how vulnerable she sounded.

"But I-" 

 “ Please .” 

Raine’s features softened at that. They'd never done well with a pleading Eda, and despite the confusion and anger they felt, they let out a sigh. They fell back into the bed. They brought a hand up to their face and shook their head before turning back to Eda. 

She moved close to them, and their faces were so close that if Eda wanted she could bump their noses together. 

“Hi,” she whispered. 

She reached out a hand, placing one tentatively on their hip. 

“Hi,” they whispered back. 

They stayed quiet for a moment, staring at each other. Eda had forgotten how easy it was to look at Raine. How beautiful they were, and how they made her feel just as beautiful, too. They always looked at her with intensity, and passion, and it made her feel like she was unstoppable. 

“It’s kind of funny,” she said, breaking the silence. “We’re decades older but it’s the same story. One of us worried about hurting the other, and one us arguing that it wasn’t their fault.” 

Raine reached out, letting their hand come up to cup her cheek. 

“Maybe this time we’ll have a different ending.” 

Eda smiled. “I’d like that.” 

Raine moved their hand to her hairline and began to run it through her wild hair. 

“You really did scare me, Eda,” they admit quietly. “I thought...I thought I would lose you.”  

“I know,” she sighed, and reached up to grab their hand, interlocking their fingers. Raine stared at their hands. “But you can’t get rid of me that easily.” 

Raine didn’t seem to amused. 

“You scared me, too,” she offered. “I was worried I’d never see you again. That you’d never be you again.” 

Raine gave her hand a squeeze but Eda could still sense the tension in their body. 

She would know better than anyone the mental toll that comes with hurting the ones you loved. 

Dad's somewhere in the house, she thought with a pang. 

She knew that Raine would be plagued with many nightmares, and judging from their sleep-deprived eyes, she wouldn’t be surprised if they were already struggling before knowing what she had admitted.

Memory gaps were really hard to cope with. 

So were the ‘what ifs.’ 

“Hey,” she said, waiting for them to look up at her. With a slow reluctance, they caved, looking up to meet her gaze. “We won this battle, and we’ll win the next.” 

Raine frowned. “Is this really a victory?” 

“I’m with you,” Eda said. “Isn’t that a victory enough?” 

Eda gasped as they leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. “I never thought you’d become such a sap, Calamity.”

Eda could only smile. 

They might not be done with Belos yet, and sure, she almost bled to death and Raine was mind controlled for weeks, but it was hard to think that she was anything but lucky to be where she was right now. 

Eda let herself relax fully against them, closing her eyes and focusing on the feeling of Raine being with her again.

This time our story will have a different ending, Rainstorm. 

I'll make sure of it.