(no subject)

[the_smart_lion]

[Stitching a stuffed monkey back together.]

Comments

[miss_bliss]

Cute.

[the_smart_lion]

[Richard nearly dropped the half-finished, badly sewn toy at the sudden comment. Brushing it off, he jabbed at the fabric again as the poor man did his best to repair the tear.]

I suppose.

[miss_bliss]

May I ask why you are seeing a monkey?

[the_smart_lion]

For someone dear to me. [He pricks his finger and curses before trying to fix the botched stitch.] She needed it fixed.

[miss_bliss]

Daughter?

[the_smart_lion]

No, but she is no less important to me. [He sighs and sets the poor thing back down momentarily to re-thread the needle.]

[miss_bliss]

Wouldn’t it be easier to buy her a new one?

[the_smart_lion]

It would, however she loved this one. When she returns home, it may make her happy.

[miss_bliss]

Happier than a new one? [She genuinely didn’t understand. She never owned a toy but newer seemed better than old and repaired.]

[the_smart_lion]

This toy has been with her since her birth, it was important to her. [He could see her confusion and searched for words to help her understand. Perhaps he should have paid more attention to those books.]

From what I have seen, old and familiar may mean safe so a little one prefers it over new.

[miss_bliss]

She thinks that monkey will keep her safe? Safe from what?

[the_smart_lion]

Runt did once but I believe she outgrew that. What I mean is that they are familiar and a little one often feels more comfortable that way. [So says one of the books, he had been ill-prepared for childcare not long ago.]

[miss_bliss]

Oh. I never had an inanimate object do that but I suppose I can understand. How old is she?

I'm so sorry I never saw this one.

[the_smart_lion]

It's been some time since I was her age but I've tried too. She was.. is eleven. [He shouldn't have sent her out without more of them, he pushes the needle back into the soft material and starts over. It gives him a distraction not to focus on the guilt.]

No worries! Happens to everybody.

[miss_bliss]

[For a psychic, Nikki actually isn't the most perceptive when it comes to human emotion but he looks haunted and it's hard to ignore.] Is she okay?

Thanks :)

[the_smart_lion]

[For a trained soldier perhaps his strategic skills were not the sharpest either apparently so they made quite the pair. He couldn't help himself to night.] I'm uncertain. [His fingers tighten around the poor stuffed animal.]

:)

[miss_bliss]

[She frowns.] You don't know where she is?

Re: :)

[the_smart_lion]

No. I wasn't able to find her.

[miss_bliss]

[Empathy could be difficult for her especially if the situation didn't effect her directly but losing family was something she understood all too well.] I'm sorry. Have you filed a report? Not that the police can always help but more eyes never hurt.

[the_smart_lion]

[He sometimes lost touch with empathy and other aspects of whatever was left of his humanity but losing anyone important hurt. He still thought of the comrades he lost.] There is nothing they can do. [Explaining to humans why he sent a girl on her first hunt would be damning for their kind. Should he opt to lie for her sake?] Nothing has been found but they will keep searching and so will I.

Thank you for your concern.

[miss_bliss]

[His phrasing peaked her attention. She had no doubt that he would keep looking but it didn't sound like he had a lot of hope of finding her. She couldn't blame him really. What was that statistic? After the first 48 hours the chances of finding a kid alive is cut in half? Nikki couldn't remember but had enough sense not to bring it up.]

I hope you find her.

[the_smart_lion]

[Realistically he didn't, but part of him hoped that crafty child could have escaped. He didn't know the statistics but he knew how dangerous fully transformed Lycans were. He was secretly grateful she said nothing else.]

Thank you, I am hoping for the same.

[miss_bliss]

[Suddenly feeling awkward and unsure what to say, she offered a little wave and started backing away.] Nice meeting you.

[the_smart_lion]

[She seemed ill at ease and it was not his place to disturb her so he tipped his head in her direction and went back to his solemn work.] Likewise, perhaps under better circumstances one day. [That was the polite thing to say, correct?]

[miss_bliss]

[Under different circumstances, she would have probably tried to get him naked. Pretty eyes, killer cheekbones, and even if he had been prone to the morose she wouldn’t have been deterred but he was legitimately sad and over a child who was most likely dead no less. Ill at ease was exactly what she was. So fairwell cheekbones. Until they meet again.]