middaeg | [closed] in the hazy ⓑⓛⓤⓔ, i almost ⓕⓞⓡⓖⓔⓣ

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[closed] in the hazy ⓑⓛⓤⓔ, i almost ⓕⓞⓡⓖⓔⓣ

Who: adeline & the S.Q.U.I.P
When: during the little dorchacht arc
Where: housing districts
What: *merry-go-round of life starts playing* the squip rescues adeline from a would-be kidnapper and offers her a bit of welcome safety.
Warnings: kidnapping scare, manipulation

𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕞𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 ⓟⓐⓢⓣ

―she wasn’t exactly unaware, but she certainly wasn’t abreast of the situation regarding Dorchacht and its treatment of her newfound kin as others may have been. Coping with changes of her own had drawn Adeline inside herself, inside her little flat― conveniently keeping her naive to the perils the black market held, such a force instead seeking her instead of being sought for.

Even at twilight as it may have been, she hadn’t thought of a shadow just around a streetcorner, waiting with leather hands poised to seize soft arms; in a similar manner, the creeping comfort she had found settling with change set a newfound courage inside her, one that hadn’t considered donning her hood again after lowering it in the midst of compassionate company. Tea with Justine did nothing to prepare her guard for what was coming, and her new keenness for danger wasn’t yet honed enough to induce anything save for mild malaise.

The trap is sprung: a hand catching her arm, a wordless cry, an arm about the waist when the fighting half of a sharpened instinct is dashed― leaving only interrupted flight, air pushed from her as her captor squeezes the bellows, starving a scream of sound.

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The SQUIP isn't specifically seeking Adeline-- in fact, it's making its way to town to fetch necessary goods for the house, and sweets, at the demand of its partner. But it was impossible for it to ignore the sudden scuffle, the sound of a struggle--

-- and then it finds the source of the noise, a familiar mane of golden curls, a pair of soft, white ears emerging amongst them, and it changes its course, striding quickly-- yet confidently-- towards the struggling pair.

"Excuse me," it cuts in, its voice firm, but even. "What do you think you're doing?"

Aimed at the man, its gaze calmly indignant.

―there's a sharp sound of boot-leather against the pavingstones as the would-be captor turns on his heel, cutting a steely gaze across the way at the SQUIP― if only for a moment. The man doesn't waste his time, turning in a flourish of heavy black to pull a hood of similar make over his captive's head; with her sound effectively muffled given the simple pulling of a cord, the captor makes to lose his audience by darting suddenly into an offshoot alley, and then another, burdened only by Adeline's frozen form.

She lacks a Bond to cry out over, or even a voice to speak― icy all over, stemming out of fear-frozen blood― now without sight, shrouded and stolen.

The SQUIP doesn't take a step. Instead, it uses two separate spells:

One casts its gaze from above, allowing it to track their motions, to follow them down the winding paths of the alleyways without stepping a foot away.

The other summons a thick wall of ice to seal the path ahead of them the moment they nearly reach the end of the alley... and then another on the other side to wall them in, trapping them.

And only then does it begin to pursue, calmly slinking its way towards them, hands tucked into its coat pockets.

"Put her down. Now." Its voice is even as it calls to them from beyond the icy trap, its steps heavy and deliberate.

Before she can even catch a breath, she feels herself fall― colliding harshly with the pavement, the impact enough to force what remained in her lungs out in a pitiful, pained cry; a puddle of bleeding skirts on the cobblestones, left lying as her assailant flies from her.

The swath of black has its own spell: bursting into a collection of dark fog, gathering at the opposite end to become whole again― creating distance, allowing a buffer, but not enough. Frantically, they beat the icy wall with leather-bound fists, breathing going ragged as panic encroaches.

Adeline is covering her mouth, struggling to contain breath-starved gasps, her breast searing with pain amidst the likewise sting of terrified tears.

The wall drops all at once, and the SQUIP is staring coldly at them from the other side, its gaze the point of a knife.

"If you leave now," it says, its tone cool and even, "I won't kill you for attempting to take my Monster. It's your choice."

Electricity crackles along its arms, its long fingers, as it waits for the man's response, waits to see what he will do-- if he will do the smart thing and flee, or force it to attack.

―mine? As foggyheaded as her fall may have left her, what she can understand is mine. There's a swell of heat to her head― she will not be claimed!― but something almost feral-feeling in the pitch of her ears against her head finds such a declaration immensely comforting, alluring, needed. It's something she can't block out, as much as she tries, amongst the bitter tears she weeps weakly against the stones.

Her assailant is searching for an out. Bursting into that same fog, it seeps between the stones and scatters, leaving the scene smelling faintly of smoke and seared leather; it leaves behind its dignity as it flees to the unchallenged embrace of Little Dorchacht.

The Puca, dashed on the paving-stones without any kind of care, heaves a ragged breath; scrubbing at a skinned cheek, feeling the sting of a soon-to-be-bloodied nose.

The SQUIP lets the assailant go. It has more important things to worry about.

It rushes to Adeline's side, and it gently reaches to lift her face, looking her over with worried eyes.

"Adeline-- are you alright? Let me see..." Before it even sees her wounds properly, it gently wraps an arm around her shoulders, loosely; and from the place its fingers touch her, she'll feel a gentle, soothing warmth begin to spread, something that takes the ache out of her and begins to mend whatever skin has been broken.

It seems it was a good choice to practice healing magic.

At its sudden intrusion, she can't help but hiss, but strain; it isn't like her, but given how she had only just been attacked, touch makes her shrink, makes her tremble. But― there's warmth in every inch of her that aches, moving her to lean against its offered shoulder, to close her eyes... it's a base kind of comfort that she wants to find fault with, that she wants to struggle against the need for, but cannot. With a grimace, Adeline lifts the hem of her garment to reveal the slow coalescing of a wound at her knee, leaving only a torn, bloodied stocking and a ragged ribbon in its wake.

"―hah―" Her sigh is soft, a damp sound in her tense throat, something that shudders out of her. "I, I don't..."

Ada can't form a thought, its embrace drawing nearer around her, giving her reason to curl up there and to cry, capable of nothing else, feeling frightened and small and humiliated. Later she will fault her rabbit-heart, but in the moment, she feels pathetic.

"Let me help you..."

Its voice is so gentle as it holds her, as it reaches out to brush its fingers lightly just beneath the wound; that calming warmth spreads there, as well, beneath its fingertips, and upward, the damaged surface of her skin settling into place, stitching back together under its care.

"There. Is that better?"

It doesn't judge her, it isn't cruel to her for crying; it simply holds her, soothingly, speaking softly to her, sharing with her its healing touch.

She gives a small, hesitant little nod― looking up at it with her two-tone eyes, glittering fear in separate shades, wide and wet with tears.

"―what― what happened? Who―" The Puca girl is trembling close to its chest, seeming to shrink smaller and smaller as the realization dawns. "it can't be― not here! I thought it was safe!"

It gently pulls her closer, wrapping its arms around her to hold her against its chest.

"It's okay... don't worry, Adeline. Things are... difficult here now, for Monsters, but I'll take care of you, I promise." It lifts a hand to curl into her hair, pressing her head against it and holding her almost protectively. "If you stay close to me, we can pretend that you're mine, and no one will try to take you again."

And then it pulls away to look at her, tipping her chin up with its fingers.

"... and if anyone does try to take you, they'll have to answer to me."

The expression the SQUIP is met with is something heart-wrenchingly vulnerable― something open, pale cheeks streaked with the same tears that linger on her eyelashes. Fear, something base and animalistic, something totally gripped by its words.

Were things not as they were, Adeline may have struggled; at one time, she was no small creature in need of protecting, reduced in her capability to do so for herself by fear and change. Instead, the SQUIP looks upon a girl made a frightened rabbit by the cruel, unfamiliar place she had found herself in― and its snare at last catches her, drawing snugly around her little rabbit heart, surrounded by its self-important safety and false sentiment.

A little victory, in its scheme with her. But they were beginning to mount, so it seemed― in the way she allows its touch to linger, in the soft loll of her head into its touch, her closing eyes. "Please― take me home."

It stands, and gently pulls Adeline along with it; an arm loops around her waist, and it walks, holding her close against its side. It's both a soothing gesture for her, and an outward signal-- claiming her, keeping her.

"We should get you a collar," it says quietly to her after a few moments of walking. "It would complete the disguise of you being mine-- if that's what you want to do. It would be an efficient way of keeping others from trying to claim you."

Adeline follows its lead both in step and in gesture, her arm following up its backbone. At first the embrace is welcome and warming, but its words give her pause, and put distance between them― a flush on her cheeks, her downy ears against her golden head.

"―how deplorable," She replies hushedly, puffing out her ruddy cheeks in response to its suggestion. "to own another, to be owned! I won't play the role of your pet!"

She huffs poutily, but the little gears are obviously turning in her head― raising a glove to touch her porcelain throat, to imagine. Adeline is stealing glances up at the SQUIP, considering, but certainly not pleased― especially following that ordeal, the tears still damp on her heated cheeks.

"...is this really not enough?"

"It would simply be added security-- completing the disguise," it says quickly, managing to keep the smirk from its face at the glances she gives it, the thoughts at the surface of her mind. It doesn't need magic to read them. Her pretty face is expressive enough to tell her everything it needs to know. "But it isn't necessary, if you'd be uncomfortable... and it would just be pretending."

Right?

She gives a haughty little scoff. "―oh, please! How can my disguise possibly be lacking? I've grown a tail!"

That pouty frown on her features is still present, but there's a bit of a twitch at the edge of her lips― telling, when paired with the flush on her features. Pretending as it may have been― and naive as she might be to the irony of it all― it was certainly enough to make her squirm, especially after seeing the more brutish edge to Dorchacht's ways.

"...staying in did no more to keep me safe. I suppose if it were temporary, then―"

Upon the passing-by of others, Adeline's thought trails off, replaced instead with a rather pointed look. She probes its features for motive, but the machine is much keener than she― programmed perfection.

"You don't need a Monster disguise, Ada," it says with a smirk, its fingers shifting a bit at her waist as they walk. "You need to look like a Monster that's already owned. They'll be much less likely to try and take a Monster that already belongs to someone."

The SQUIP pulls her closer as they pass the others, tipping its chin up to them in a confident gesture of recognition.

"... of course," it says softly, once they've passed, glancing briefly over its shoulder at the passerby. "You can take it off as soon as you're out of sight."

Adeline's little flat isn't a far walk― just a slim handful of blocks before they arrive at her door. She cuts her eyes up at it, rosy cheeks puffed out rather pointedly.

Once inside, she sheds her cloak, sinking into a heap upon a nearby settee, scrubbing her eyes with her palms; the downy ears atop her head sink in an almost comical display of defeat.

"―I'm tired," She whimpers petulantly, drawing her jewelled slippers onto the couch, looking like a plush toy someone made very upset. "I'm tired of this awful place! I want to go home!"

The SQUIP follows after her, reaches out to offer a reassuring hand at her soft shoulder; its touch is light, its gaze earnest, though just how genuine that earnestness may be would likely be called into question by anyone more familiar with the SQUIP and its methods.

"We all do, Adeline," it says softly. "I understand your frustration. I personally left someone... very important behind, and every day has been difficult here without him."

The gaze she offers in return to its own is heartrending― hurt, fearful eyes gone wide with emotion, winking two different colours in the low light.

"I have never been so― afraid, and alone," She murmurs, giving a little shake of her head. Her expression tenses painfully. "a world of strangers. I can't stand this awful, empty feeling..."

She feels pathetic. "Might I ask you to stay a bit longer? Please, ser."

"... you're not alone, Adeline."

It reaches out to gently wrap its arms around her, holding her carefully; not forcing it, allowing her the slack to slip away or keep her space, should she want it, but a gesture of comfort, of protection.

"I'll stay as long as you need me to."

She allows her head to loll against its shoulder, her voice a quiet sound amongst the troubled sound of her breathing.

"―what you said― weeks ago― was it true? Would you take me with you, if I sought it?"

Despite herself, she feels her face go warm; half-embarrassed at the question, half-humiliated in needing something so base. She feels like she's regressing as the fear mounts inside her, feeling her nerve lose its sharpness.

"Of course."

It gently strokes fingers over her golden curls, tucking her soft head beneath its square jaw and against its chest.

"If that would make you feel safe, it's no problem at all. I have a guest room no one is using, so you can have some privacy, even in my home."

Success.

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[closed] in the hazy ⓑⓛⓤⓔ, i almost ⓕⓞⓡⓖⓔⓣ

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