thevoidsdarkhorse | Heart Game (Continued)

[Don't give too much, they don't have self control, you're the only one who can watch the moderation. There's only so much you can get at once, but always have a reserve for the bad times. Careful, careful, careful, you're the only one who can do this, you're all alone in this effort.]

[And on the other side of the pumpkins is Roxy.]

[Who looks to be only about five years old, crying into her knees.]

[.....oh. Oh no, this isn't small feral child, is it...

As soon as he sees her, he lowers himself down, makes himself smaller a good distance away

then gives a quiet whistle to get her attention.]

[She jumps and looks at him, startled.]

[Palms up, quiet, not moving towards her and not looking at her directly, using his peripheral instead.

Slowly, carefully, he's taking out the blanket from before, folding it over one arm as he shows it to her, his free hand making a motion down from his eyes. You were crying. Do you want to feel better?]

[She's still at first, uncertain, still curled up.]

[She sniffles and rubs at her eyes, and there's words there. She wasn't crying that much. Just...maybe something in her eyes.]

[After all, his tonal hearing has been shit for the heart, but there is a reason for the boost in body language reading.]

[But then she looks at the blanket, an arm moving towards it, and she's a far worse liar like this, because there is longing, wanting, and a question. Did he really want to help her?]

[A gentle smile in return, warm and paternal. It hurts a bit that he can't just hold her and whisper sweet nothings to calm her, like he used to do for Luke. But he wants to help, even if it just gives her a little more security in a scary situation.

So he shifts the blanket to the arm closest to her, carefully holding it out.]

...

[She reaches out for the blanket, slowly, hesitant and she shifts between it and his face.]

[Are you real?]

[...Hooo okay... okay... not much of a way around this answer.

Carefully, carefully sliding his hand out from under the blanket, palm up and shaking considerably. It's there for her to touch.

I'm real. I'll let you decide for yourself, though.]

[She hesitates. She sees the fear, it's hard for her not to, and it's confusing.]

[But she's young and she makes an assumption because, well...]

[She's afraid too.]

[Maybe it's scarier when you're older. Is it longer being alone then?]

[Slowly, she reaches out, touching his hand, and she jumps a bit because he's warm, but...but he's REAL.]

[HAHAHA SO MUCH TREMBLING AT THE TOUCH BFDHSBFSD and he's curling in on himself not so unlike the girl touching his hand. Oops.

But he'll inhale, exhale, fight the heat rising in his throat do exactly what he did with Doom's version of Roxy. That fear is raw and eats at him, but he digs at it, digs it up with the sadness and the loneliness, that he KNOWS it hurts to be so young and so lonely, so afraid, with so much weight on your shoulders.

Even a grown-up gets afraid. Very afraid.

But there's nothing wrong with being afraid when life is scary.

And, at least for right now, please please please know, little one, that you are not alone.]

[She looks at him with confused, wide eyes, and she...she knows you're hurting, but it's hard to understand because Carapacians aren't complex creatures. There's a lot here, and it's hard to understand, but she shifts closer, she wants to HELP because it's okay.]

[It's okay because we don't have to be alone, and that's good right, things can be BETTER and-]

[And maybe this helps?]

[Small child is going to hug him.]

W-wait, wait--

[But oops, hugs happened. He instantly recoils with a hoarse shriek, dropping the blanket as he flails backwards, arms clenching over his head, tucked down against his knees.

I can't I can't I can't I can't I'm too scared I can't---!!]

Edited (how did that happen) 2015-01-25 06:43 (UTC)

[Roxy jumps back, scrambles away, and there's fear.]

[Oh no, no, no, she did something wrong, what did she do, do humans have the same nasty surprise as Carapacians?]

[She looks around and she grabs a pumpkin, kicking it over to him even as she scrambles back.]

[There! There! A pumpkin helps, right, they always help!]

[...Well getting hit in the head with a pumpkin is ONE way to jerk him out of it.]

O-ow, dammit, what--???

[And then he sees her retreating, looking at him with fear-filled eyes, and regardless of his own trembling and the tears against his face, he's suddenly burdened with shame.

...

A press of his hand to his eyes, wiping the tears away. He was okay. He was going to be okay. There had to be a way for him to power through it, for her sake.

It's that need to comfort her, to care for her, that he tries to focus on, to strengthen and balance out the spike of fear still coursing through him. Only then does he slowly attempt to move again, sliding the blanket into his arms while pushing the pumpkin away with the heel of his shoe.

He's sorry. He didn't mean to scare her. Can he approach her?]

Edited 2015-01-25 06:57 (UTC)

[There is conflict. It's obvious she still wants to approach because...because he's THERE, she doesn't have to be alone.]

[But she's scared. She doesn't want to be hurt, and she doesn't want to hurt him, and she's not sure which got that reaction.]

Edited 2015-01-25 06:59 (UTC)

[A pause.

He wraps the blanket around one shoulder, crossing his legs, holding one corner tightly to his chest while extending the other out towards her eyes gently pleading. It's a hesitant invitation this time.

Can we be scared together? I won't hurt you if you don't hurt me.]

[She hesitates. She hesitates for a long time.]

[But...]

[She wants to trust. She wants that comfort. She doesn't want to be alone.]

[Slowly, slowly she creeps forward, watching him for any sudden movements.]

[The urge to shrink away again is SO STRONG, but he fights it, uses his power for his own benefit to keep him steady, to keep his poker face on.

He stays still, waiting for her.]

[Slowly, carefully, she crosses the last of the distance, moves a hand to grab onto his shirt and looks up. Is it okay?]

[There's a deep shudder and a squirm at the touch. But he closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and wraps the blanket around her, gently pulling her closer.]

[Oh.]

[So.]

[This is what a hug from a human feels like.]

[She leans against him, wrapping her arms around him, and....relaxes.]

[It takes him a minute to also relax. But the Heart makes it easier to refocus on what's important here: the girl in his arms. When she lulls in his arms, he's hugging her close, holding her tightly so the blanket envelops both of them - a cocoon against the cold and empty outside these walls.

After a moment, he starts to hum - bits and pieces of a lullaby he himself was soothed to, all by the person who he thought could chase all his fears away when he was small.]

[She closes her eyes, relaxes more, the tension melting away. It's soothing, hearing the sound. Like the recordings from her mother.]

[The house feels warmer, less empty than it was before.]

[And suddenly you're back in the Neighborhood with all the fire, on the street now.]

[There's a building collapsing near you, and an injured Carapacian is trying to get out of the way of it.]

[Just running and diving may not be quick enough to save it unscathed.]

[...Mood whiplash like whoa but NO TIME JUST GOTTA REACT

At least said whiplash means he has an EXTENSIVE pool of emotional high from ten seconds ago to throw forward a shield over the lizard....insect....thing. GO GO GADGET MAGIC FEELINGS DEFENSE.]

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