Chapter Text
Exactly one year ago today, Peculairdom was changed forever. The anniversary of Caul’s defeat had become somewhat of an unofficial holiday, and many people were gathered in Devil’s Acre to talk or have parties of their own. Someone was even distributing terribly drawn caricatures of him with celebratory phrases scribbled in black ink. The Panloopticon in particular was horribly crowded. I could hear Sharon shouting at travelers, calling for order. I, in particular, had no plans to join in on the festivities. I’d much prefer to leave that monster in the past.
I had been running errands for Miss Peregrine that day, running back and forth from the house to do so. I had been given a task I didn’t really want to complete: pick up a crate of items from Miss P’s nephew, which was really just code for ‘make sure he’s still alive.’ Luckily I wouldn’t have to go far. He had hijacked half the panloopticon building.
Raiden was one of Caul’s five children, his second son to be more specific. Most of them were rather decent to be around, surprisingly. But Raiden was not. You’ll certainly see why in a moment. You see, when Myron Bentham died, he had already written his will many years prior to the Ymbryne Council taking over his house. He intended to leave everything, including his home, to Raiden’s mother, who was also a surprisingly pleasant person. But Miss Lanner wanted nothing to do with it at all and had been given her own loop so she wouldn’t have to waste away in the Acre any longer. And since she didn't want it, it went to her son.
While this place was pretty much a state house/travel center now, the house was pretty much a manor. There was enough space for them to wall off the living, bedrooms, and some of the display rooms to appease the boy. I personally think Miss Peregrine is being too nice to him, but I guess his inheritance is his inheritance. I walked up to the door that led to his section of the house and I knocked loudly.
No response.
I knock again.
Still nothing.
With a loud huff I beat my fist on the wooden door and waist for any kind of response or sound on the other side. Well, I guess I’ll come back later. I sharply turn around and begin to walk away when the door slowly creeks about two inches open.
“Hullo Miss Bloom, can I do something for you?”
I turned around to see Nim peeking through the door at me. When I walked back he opened it wider. “I need to see Raiden. Is he here?” I ask, standing on my tip toes to peek inside in case he was hiding just beyond the door again. Nim closes it again to only peek.
“Mr. Bentham isn’t accepting visitors right now. He’s very busy, he is. Far too busy to-”
“I’m on important business. Miss Peregrine sent me. Now where is he? Let me in.” I try to push past the feeble servant, which has worked every time. Nim stumbles, but has no choice but to shut the door behind me and rush to my side as I walk through the living room.
After taking control of the house, Raiden made some serious changes to the interior design. All his uncle’s old wallpaper had been torn off and the taxidermy and antique decor had been taken out. In its place the walls had been painted a classy deep maroon color. The lighting in all the rooms were incredibly warm and came from large vintage glass and beaded lamps scattered meticulously across the room. While everything was clean and in its spot without a single spec of dust, the decor all had a strange pattern of entropy to them. Raiden, like Bentham, was a collector.
I knew quite well where he’d most likely be. I made my way down the long halfway to the library.
Nim rushed ahead of me, clumsily scurrying over to the tall ladder on wheels that was attached to the old bookshelf. “I’m so sorry Mr. Bentham, she just came right in. I couldn’t stop her. Miss Emma Bloom is here to see you, on business from your Aunt, sir.”
“That’s quite alright.”
The boy jumped backwards off the ladder and landed on the dark hardwood with a small thump. Quite agile, he needed no time to steady himself. “How many times do I have to tell you to quit calling me that? Go.” He waves off Nim and I notice that his nails are painted in a deep indigo color, as shiny as the freshly waxed floors. That isn’t unusual for him. Raiden smirks at me, putting his hands on his hips. “Not very nice to pop over unannounced, now is it? Unless you’re still convinced I’m up to something nefarious here.”
“Actually I was sent to get a box of things for Miss Peregrine. Do you have it?” I gave him a quick glance over. Raiden was physically about my age but actually slighter younger than I was. His hair was a dark brown with just the slightest hint of red and he always had it perfectly groomed and slicked back when I saw him. Since I’ve known him, he hardly leaves this house or his mother’s loop, but he always keeps himself looking perfect and dressed fashionably just for himself to look at. From what I had gathered, he was quite vain.
“Yes, of course.” He dusts off his satin shirt, which had the top button free. It was a bold choice; an asymmetrical paisley design of blues and purples, yellows and browns. I have no idea where he gets these things from. “Come, come with me.” Raiden brushes past me, turning his body just slightly so as to not fully bump into me. I almost rolled my eyes. He had an entire room and he chose to brush against me to get past, like I was an obstacle. The boy leads me back down the hall to yet another room. I recognize this one.
This display room, like most of the others, had been majorly gutted. He had left the red wallpaper up despite ripping it off everywhere else. This was one of the display rooms. Raiden also had a love for antiques but was thankfully more moral about it than his predecessor. Unfortunately for him, most of the items had been taken by the Ymbryne council or locked away. While he did technically still own them, they weren’t his–deemed dangerous or wrong to be kept. He was always quite vocal about his displeasure.
“Yeah I know,” He says to me without glancing behind him, sightlessly knowing how I was looking at things. “Empty as hell, isn’t it? Getting robbed every day isn’t the best thing in the world, but I guess I see why they do it.” Raiden sighs and walks over to a small pile of crates and boxes, bending over to lift one. “Ah, here it is.”
“What’s inside?” I walk up to him and try to peer down through the slightly opened bit. Usually I would never disrespect Miss Peregrine’s privacy, but if she wanted something from this house it must be something interesting.
“Oh,” To my utter surprise he drops to his knees and opens the thing right up. I can't help but gawk as he starts to go through it all, showing me everything. “Just sentimental things.” He pulls out a few photographs, some framed and some loose. He hands me one with writing on the back while smirking. “Look at that one,” He chuckles, then returns to rummaging. I don’t! Does he so easily disrespect everyone’s privacy like that?! I wouldn’t be surprised. He is wicked after all.
“I will not.” I hold it out to him. “Don’t go through her things like that!”
“It’s not a big deal. I’m the one who packed them, Emma. Plus it’s only you, she won’t care.”
“You don’t know that. It shouldn’t matter if someone would care or not, when they aren’t here to agree you shouldn’t be going-”
That boy rolls his eyes in a full circle and interrupts me! “Yeah yeah, whatever.” He swipes the photo out of my hand. “Most of this is sentimental stuff anyway, having to do with my own family.” Raiden looks over the photo a moment before tucking it back into the box, putting everything back exactly how he had it before, perfectly organized. He closed up the box and lifted it up, handing it to me. “Well, I suppose you’ll be going now.”
As Raiden hands me the box, I take another look around the room. He, like the other two men I had known in his family, was a hoarder. Yet despite this everything was perfectly in its place and organized to be of the best display while still remaining tidy and practical. I couldn’t help but slightly admire him for it. Noticing me staring, he quirks an eyebrow. “You want the tour or something? I’m afraid the collection I inherited from my uncle is rather mediocre now that I’ve thrown out all that disgusts me and the Ymbrynes have taken anything important. But I’d love to show you my things, if you like.” He puts his hand behind his back, rocking on his feet as he eagerly awaits my answer.
I can’t say I’m too interested in all of these antiques. After all, a few rooms over we can walk right into the times these things come from and experience them for ourselves. Raiden could too, of course. Yet for some reason he preferred to stay here, frozen in time dwelling in the same almost uninhabitable loop he always had even as the world around him evolved. “I should really be getting back to Miss Peregrine. I have other errands to run.”
The Bentham boy does nothing to conceal his displeasure, a frown moving across his features. “Well. I suppose that's alright too.” Then he brightens and starts towards the door, extending his hand out in the direction of the hallway. His smile was quite gentlemanly and charming, clearly trained. “Allow me to see you out, Miss Bloom.”
Raiden takes the long way, for some reason, leaving me lugging around the heavy box with no sympathy. He walked me through a door because he had to ‘grab something,’ but then he would pivot and say he had forgotten what it was or that it wasn't even in there in the first place. Clearly he enjoyed my suffering, walking a step or two ahead of me without even glancing back or offering to carry the box for me. “Sorry, this house is a maze. I’m still getting used to it, myself. Come, this way.” He said. Eventually we made it out to the foyer. By then I already had a match flame of frustration sprouting from my little finger, singing the box. I waved it out.
He smirks and opens the door up for me. “And out you go. Sorry about that, truly.” But it was clear he wasn’t sorry, in fact he seemed quite pleased with himself.
Walking out, he hardly waited for my hair to get out of the way before he closed the door. I started to walk away again, happy to be done with the whole ordeal. That boy had something seriously wrong with him. And of course he did, look at the man who raised him. How else would he be? I’m frankly shocked that those kids aren't more messed up than they already are. Even for peculiars, they have got to be the strangest lot I’ve ever met. Not only was their mother–and forgive me for speaking ill of an ymbryne–totally crazy, but when I first met Raiden he had told me that his older brother was the only one who frequently left the Acre and aside from himself going on a few vacations via loops with his mother, he’s never left at all. I doubt his three younger siblings had seen the outside of the Wight’s fortress walls until they say the entire thing got destroyed. It was unfortunate, really.
Just as I had gotten a few feet away and was about to turn in the direction of the Panloopticon, the door swung open again. “Wait!” Raiden dived out and shut the door behind him, leaning against it. He seemed a bit surprised with himself. Once his eyes set on me and he noticed I hadn’t completely escaped yet, he smiled. “I could carry that for you, if you like. If you’re tired of it already, I mean.”
“Actually I am quite tired of it, after that ‘tour’ you gave me, walking down every damned corridor in the building.” I huff, hurling the box upward to get a better grip on it. With his head down, he rushes over to me while glancing around to make sure that no one has seen him. What his constant secrecy was for, I had no idea. Once he was face to face with me, Raiden took the box and started past me to the loop. He knew very well where it was, of course. If he wanted to go, why did he have to make me come out here and get it from him when he could have very well delivered it himself? He likes to cause me trouble, I think. That's why.
He carried the box up the stairs to the level our loop door was on, again walking two steps ahead of me and not sparing me any glances. He does that with everybody, I’ve noticed. Everyone except for his older brother at least. I tried to catch up with him several times so that we could walk side by side, but he kept either speeding up or taking bigger steps to keep himself where he was. Raiden kept his eyes peeled, glancing around every corner as if he were trying to sneak past someone, like he was doing something that could very well be incriminating. I’m sure he has a lot of experience with that.
“What’s wrong with you?” I ask him, trying to walk at his side again. He speeds up.
“Thats a loaded question, you’ll have to be more specific than that.” Outside of his domain, he spoke with a less cocky tone. Out in the middle he almost seemed nervous about something.
“I mean why are you acting as if walking with me and carrying my things is a crime?”
He scoffs, actually putting his head up for once. He matches my own demeanor now, my expression, my speed, my tone of voice, even the way I walk. “I’m not,” He claims proudly. “I’m perfectly the same as I’ve always been, unless you think I should be ashamed?” Raiden finally glances at me, and as he does he straightens his shoulders to fix his posture like mine.
“No,” I can’t help but keep my eyes fully on him now, but choose not to say anything about him mimicking me. Perhaps this is some new form of mockery he’s trying out. “but you’re being incredibly odd.”
“Rude.” He dives around a corner swiftly and his suddenness catches me off guard. I rush to follow.
“I am not, It’s only an observation.”
“Yeah.” He nods at me, “A rude observation.”
I try to catch up as he walks faster again but it’s hardly any use. Too busy watching him and the way he moved, I only notice that we’ve made it to my loop when-
“Omph-!”
“We’re here.” He says, having stopped right in front of the door I had just rammed face first in to. My face turns red, and not just because of my injury. Rubbing my forehead I huff, regretting ever accepting his help in the first place.
“I noticed.” I grumble, gritting my teeth. I reach for the doorknob but he pulls it open for me, holding the box with just one arm.
“After you, madam.” He smiles, voice rather condescending, and as I pass with my chin turned up I hear him giggle. Raiden follows me in and shuts the Panloopticon door behind me. I had returned to a quaint September afternoon in 1940.
“Are you alright?” Raiden asks finally, already in the backyard of the house before he decides to say anything. While his voice takes on a tone of mild concern his face says the exact opposite.
“Of course I am, why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because you ran into a door.” He answers bluntly, either not noticing my sarcasm or doing it on purpose, I could not tell.
“Really? I hadn’t noticed, considering the giant bruise forming on my forehead.”
He fully stops as we get to the front porch and sets the box down. Raiden pulls me back to the sunlight and squints at my forehead, which I assumed was already turning purple. I ran into it hard. Who in the world possibly needs to walk that fast?! For some reason his inspection required him pressing the pad of his thumb into it, which caused me to wince. “Ow! what was that for?”
“Yeah, that’s going to be nasty. You’ll be purple as a squashed blueberry.”
“Blueberries are blue.”
“No they aren't."
“They are.”
He scoffs at me and rolls his eyes with the greatest drama I have ever seen for such a small disagreement. “If anything, they’re indigo, but that's not the point. My point is, you'll need something to cover that up unless you want to look like that girl from Willy Wonka."
“What?”
“Doesnt matter.” He says after a deep frustrated sigh and walks up to the porch to open the front door for me. “I’ll see you soon.”
What was the point of that? I take the box from off the porch and walk inside, eyeing him warily as I pass. “Yeah, I guess.”
Later that night I was laying in my bed, reflecting. I knew very well that he was the most infuriating, difficult person I had ever met. Worse than Enoch. Still for some reason I couldn’t get him off my brain. Maybe that's because of the head injury he caused me, which is still throbbing. Miss Peregrine gave me some pain tablets and some ice to put on it, but it didn't help. I was about to let it go and go to bed when I heard a tapping on my window.
Quickly I dismissed it, thinking it was likely a tree branch. Then I remembered that we were in a loop and a branch had never tapped my window before, so I began to become suspicious.
Even more so when a hand came into view and tapped on the window again.
“Emma!” I heard a sharp whisper-yell from the other side of the glass. Readying a small flame in my hand just in case, I pulled open my window with the other and peeked out. “Finally.” Raiden said with a small groan, shifting his position in the tree to lean more in my direction.
“What in Bird's name are you doing out here?!” I whisper-yell back, both confused on how he climbed a tree with only branches at the top and angry at him for creeping over here and disturbing me.
“Helping you.” He reaches in his back pocket, angled in such a way that I thought he may fall down and hurt himself. “Here.” I looked up from the ground to see him holding out a small bag to me. It was a bag of some sort, the top oval shaped and the bottom flat. Curiously, it had a bright sunny mandala pattern, all different colors. It was a bit hard to look at. He shook it. “Hey!”
Finally I take the bag from him and unzip the top. Inside were several pallets and creams, one a group of yellow, green, red, and orange. Along with that, the bag had a small circular container of powder that looked similar to my own skin tone, and a tube of foundation. I look up at Raiden with a glare. “Are you telling me I need to wear makeup now? Where did you even get this? Did you steal this from your mother?”
“Of course I didn’t steal it from my mother, I’m giving it to you.” He pulls back when I try to return the bag from him, and I almost lurch forward. He was hardly held on to the tree. “Just take it. For your bruise. It's concealer.”
Raiden makes sure I take it before he hops down from the tree and again I almost jump out the window to get him. Looking down, he had made a perfect landing and was looking back up at me. “Good night,” he waves, then turns to run back home. I watch him for a while, seeing as he disappears into the trees.
I look down at the makeup bag in my hand. What am I supposed to do with this?