|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 10:42 am
Well, the first night really hadn't been the first night because Dari had given in, and then the second night they had a big powwow and, as he expected, it had done more damage than good. He slumped and sighed, looking helpless. Yup, they'd ******** up.
"Well... tonight's the real first night. Kind of." His voice was terribly apologetic. "I'm sorry, Maia, I know this can't be easy." Inside he was breaking, just a little. The poor thing was outright sobbing.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 11:11 am
Maia shook her head. It didn't seem Toby knew what the first night had been like. He was dismissing it. "First real night," she echoed. She took a few deep breaths and tried to calm herself. Her expression crumpled.
"This is going to be worse, then. And Dari only came because I was crying."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 11:21 am
Oh, good lord. It was like the world was ending.
"He's a good friend," was all he could think of to say as they approached the stairs. Dari had said she was upset, that she had been crying and he went in to comfort her. He'd also needed a reminder to not sleep with the clients, but it wasn't like the guy had any genitals or sexual desire.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 11:34 am
"So are you," Maia said. She took his hand, still trembling. "He helped me. And You helped me last night." She wiped at her eyes with her free hand. "And Seamus helped me with lessons." Maybe she could find Seamus tonight. She didn't think the cat sidhe would mind visiting her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 11:45 am
Toby sighed and accepted Maia's hand, still unsure what to say. Maia was new, she was frightened, she had to learn to survive in new places. Sooner or later she'd end up relocated somewhere else entirely and nobody would be able to keep her company or stay the night when she was scared. His brow was still furrowed, though, and he offered her a hug with his arms out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 12:21 pm
Maia accepted the hug, and the small amount of control she'd had was lost. She hid her face in his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I keep trying to adjust but it's not working and I hate it here." She liked the people she'd met, she loved Seamus And she'd enjoyed feeding Pixie. "I tried the first night. I only meant for Dari to visit a little while. But he heard me I guess. He came in. And it was better. But not really. And tonight's going to be worse!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 12:24 pm
"Oh, shhh..." It wasn't a condescending complaint or anything of the sort, just an attempt at comfort while Toby wrapped his arms around her and delivered the hug soundly. The poor thing was absolutely distraught. Nobody had even taken it this hard, not three days in, not even with special treatment. He had a weeping woman in his arms and he had no idea what to do. He really didn't want to stay another night in this place. He didn't have anything with him, and it wouldn't look very good to be staying with a new entity. He swayed slightly, trying everything he could to make the woman feel better all the while having absolutely no idea what he was doing. She was probably right. Tonight was probably going to be worse, and she had no one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 12:55 pm
Maia tried to stop, sniffling and hugging him. She wanted to learn, she wanted to help with things, there were things she wanted to do. But did it have to be here? She released her hold on Toby, attempted to dry her eyes, and said, "Sorry. Lets keep going."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 1:04 pm
"Okay."
It was a dumb response, built out of dulled instinct rather than actual thought processes. His considerations were elsewhere. Tears stained his shirt at the shoulders and he could still feel the lingering warmth. People always radiated more body heat when they cried. There was probably some scientific reason. He didn't know it.
He kept his hand on Maia's upper arm as they went up the stairs and down the hall. Was he really doing this? Locking a frightened young woman away in a place she hated so she could cry herself to sleep, if she slept at all, and for the next several days? Clearly she was not meant to be alone. This happened sometimes. Rarely. Maybe twice over the span of his forty-year career. Dari had been another one. He was quiet, hard to read, but Toby could see that he was lonely, that he maybe even resented the people he had to work with, who studied him. So he'd taken him home.
They were nearly at the apartment door and Maia was still crying. He imagined it was getting worse as they closed in but it could just be his own imagination. Completely unbidden and without warning he let out a huff of air and shook his head, closing his eyes.
"No. Come on." He tugged her arm back in the opposite direction, toward the stairs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 1:35 pm
They were almost to Maia's apartment when Toby huffed, shook his head and pulled her towards the way they had come. She blinked at him. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, but her expression was puzzled. Why were they turning around?
"Where?" she asked.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 1:41 pm
"We're going to have another sleepover," Toby said definitively. "At my place."
This also was generally frowned-upon, but he had yet to actually do it wrong. His judgement was good. It had better be, after this many years. Maia wasn't a threat or an evil enchantress or some kind of sly seductress, she was just scared. Something struck him then and he stopped suddenly in the hall.
"Where's your pelt?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 1:55 pm
"Another sleepover?" Maia asked. "But Lori and Annie reacted badly when I mentioned having one." Were they against the rules? She didn't want Toby getting into trouble on her account.
She seemed almost reluctant to reveal where her pelt was. But she knew She could trust Toby: she did, she trusted he and Dari more than anyone else she'd met. "Its in the bedside table," she said. She offered him her key.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 2:01 pm
"Well it's not something we generally do, and you're a woman and people make assumptions, but it doesn't matter," Toby replied quickly. When she offered him her key he held up a hand in refusal. That'd just make things complicated. Technically she'd be bound to him until he remembered to give it back and just-- He wanted to go home.
"Go grab it, and whatever you need for tomorrow."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 2:18 pm
"People shouldn't make assumptions." It was rude. She nodded and headed towards her room, entering and quickly grabbing her pelt and the bag of essensials the HQ had provided. She hurried back to Toby, locking the door.
"Thank you inviting me," she said.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 2:40 pm
"Sure. They do, though. Everyone does."
Toby waited out in the hall with his hands in his pockets. Really he had just been hoping to go home and relax after a pleasant dinner out, but that wasn't happening. He had to set Maia up in the guest room, acquaint her with the house, go over the rules. He wasn't sure why a part of him was annoyed, but it definitely was. He realized he was probably just projecting because he didn't entirely agree with his own decision.
"Sure," he said then, nodding down the hall and removing his hands from his pockets to walk with her. There was definitely going to be a meeting about this in the next couple days. He pulled his phone from his pocket as they walked and dialed Dari.
"Hello?" came the response from the other end.
"Hey. I'm heading back now. Maia's coming too."
"What?"
"Maia's coming too." Toby knew that his friend was asking for an explanation, not a reaffirmation, but he wasn't going to give it. Dari knew him well enough to not pry further.
"I'm on my way. I just dropped Lorien off."
"Alright. See you soon." He hung up and offered Maia a bit of a forced smile.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
