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Post by Pieluver on Nov 2, 2022 1:58:48 GMT
He was taunting her again. Why did he always seem to be taunting her? His words halted her steps, and she still scowled at him with mismatched eyes. Her pride smarted at his words. She had been doing well enough for herself, more or less.
His next statement jerked her off that train of thought. It still had not sunk in that she was, perhaps, no longer human. It was unnerving, especially since she could still acutely feel the pulling of the three souls that resided not far away. He was watching her with that superior, caustic look in his eye, gauging her reactions. He seemed rather pleased with himself, as usual.
“You’re enjoin’ this, ain’t ya? It’s just a game to you, killin’ people, feedin’ off ‘em. But I won’t do it. I won’t,” she said. She looked away, starting to chew at a nail. A nervous reaction, but she couldn’t help it.
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Post by Pieluver on Nov 2, 2022 2:00:33 GMT
His smile was open-mouthed now, watching her process the words he spoke, then returning. Though it seemed that she’d hit a bit of a wall. She’d cast her gaze away, but she wasn’t running yet. There was something keeping her here. But what was his endgame? To make her run away? To convince her to eat? Or just to play until he got bored, then leave her alone again.
“Oh, dear, sweet, innocent Linnet thinks she really has a choice,” he crooned, taking a half-step closer, tilting his head at her. “Why do you think I was willing to wait so long for you to die. Or rather, for James to kill you? If you don’t control the hunger, Linnet, it will control you. You know that, don’t you? You can feel it. Wait a week, two weeks, and then you’ll be all too willing to tear out your precious friend’s throat, right?” Drake paused as if he was going to laugh, but he did not, his gaze was fixed on the girl like he was looking through her. James had started struggling again as the demon’s arm squeezed him so tight he could no longer breathe.
“At least now you can decide who will die, instead of recklessly murdering every human you come across.” He paused again, dragging his tongue thoughtfully across the ridge of his teeth. “But you know what? Don’t eat. That’s fine. More for us. Just don’t come crying to me when you attack James again, because I don’t really care.”
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Post by Pieluver on Nov 2, 2022 2:00:40 GMT
Tension seemed to radiate off her in response to his words. Her eyes reluctantly dragged back to his face as he came closer. She could so acutely feel her hunger, as though it wanted to help drive home the point. This was what James had fought against for her sake, but now it was different. Her choice would put him in danger, and no matter how hard she fought, she wasn’t sure she could win.
Drake seemed so amused as he watched her with knowing eyes. His challenge was clear, but she was not sure how long she could feasibly resist. It had already been difficult enough the past few days. Could she really put James through that? She could almost envision herself giving in, but she could not handle the thought of eating someone’s soul, the very thing that made up their being. Even if she had done it before, she had not been in control then. Now that she did have some measure of control over herself, she felt as though she could not relent, not without losing something of herself. She stepped back, unable to meet Drake’s gaze or even look at James.
“I can’t,” she whispered. She may hate herself for this decision later, but she simply could not give in. There had to be some other way. She could figure something out, couldn’t she? It was a desperate hope, but it was all she had.
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Post by Pieluver on Nov 2, 2022 2:00:50 GMT
She was processing. She was tense. Was she trying to figure out what his words meant for her, or was she trying to figure out just how hungry she was? She wasn’t looking up at all, and then she backed up. She couldn’t. Well. Not yet, at least.
Drake shrugged blandly. “Whatever you say, little bird.” He turned his attention to James, though he was still projecting his voice in her direction. “Just don’t expect me to drop everything and go hunting for you the moment you change your mind.” The boredom was back in his tone, though he truly was excited to watch her struggle with this. James had pretty much accepted his fate, but that was partially because he was decades from his original time, and nowhere near his old home. Linnet still had ties to humanity. It would be interesting to watch her decide just how to sever them.
“Don’t worry, James, I won’t make you hunt every week. She’s taking responsibility for her own actions. You might want to find some good places to hide, though,” he told the scowling boy pointedly, shooting a hard glance back at the girl. Then he rerouted his attention back to the souls. It was time to eat, with or without their morally unsure companion. “I’ll fight you for the extra soul, James,” he said, an ounce of cheerfulness reinflating his voice, as if the whole confrontation had never happened, as he trotted down the hall, James in arm.
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Post by Pieluver on Nov 2, 2022 2:00:58 GMT
Linnet watched them go with a pained expression. Every inch of her form was tense, fighting to stay still when everything within her wanted to follow. She could not give in. There had to be some way to resist. She would find some way, wouldn’t she? The thought seemed so hollow as she stood rooted to the spot. She could not break away from the strong draw of the nearby souls. It was all she could do to keep herself from sprinting down the hallway.
She stood, quivering, in the middle of the hall, unable to pull herself away until the tantalizing call of the souls disappeared as they were eaten. She took a few shuddering breaths to compose herself, then turned and walked away. She was in no mood to see Drake again, and didn’t have the heart to face James yet.
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Post by Pieluver on Nov 2, 2022 2:01:16 GMT
James had realized, over the course of the last few hours, that while hiding in a wardrobe would effectively prevent Drake from finding him, Linnet was still not so skilled as to completely block out her ability to sense his soul signature. But that didn’t stop him from remaining among the old clothes that smelled heavily of dust and mild decay. There was some small comfort curled up in the dark.
What must she think of him? Observing silently as she struggled--as Drake taunted her? As he, with great cowardice, continued destroying the lives of others just so he himself wouldn’t die? She was right to be disgusted by it. To not be able to stomach the thought. Even as the guilt had chewed at his conscience, he’d killed the humans, opened his mouth to accept the soul. And now he was hiding from both of them.
And that guilt, still, that this was his fault in the end. That she was like this now. She didn’t deserve this life, to feel this hunger that made one lose their mind, that tugged and tugged and never let go. If only he’d done something. Anything. Freed her. Smuggled her away. Stood up to Drake. What had he even been thinking of doing, when it came down to it? She’d been heavily damaged, waiting in that bed for him to finally snap and kill her, and he’d been party to it. He waited too, instead of trying to help. Waiting for himself to snap so at least he wouldn’t have to remember killing her. And she’d taken matters into her own hands, the brave girl that she was, and he hadn’t been able to defend her against Drake. And now here they were. Mistake after mistake had trapped her in this purgatory. And none of them had been her fault.
God, what a spineless creature he was.
He lingered in that wardrobe for hours, too afraid to come out and face what he’d done again. Too afraid to face Drake, who wouldn’t understand, and too afraid to face Linnet, who surely hated him, and for good reason. He was a monster. Eventually, however, he decided that he needed to at least apologize to her again. Anything else would just be further wallowing in his own cowardice. He needed to face this and accept it. And then he could return to hiding in the wardrobe. Forever.
He hadn’t cried, but when he emerged his eyes were red from all the dust, and he was struggling not to sneeze. He scrubbed at his face with the back of his sleeve, but he was just as dusty as everything else, so it had little effect. Then he trundled off, not actively searching for Linnet, but no longer attempting to avoid her either. He couldn’t force her to talk to him if she didn’t want to, if she couldn’t stand to look at him, but that would also be okay. He understood. But there just had to be some kind of closure, some kind of definitive end to this.
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Post by Pieluver on Nov 2, 2022 2:01:52 GMT
Linnet hid herself in a dusty, unused corner of the manor, in an even dustier room. Her head throbbed and her throat felt sore from the sobs that had wracked her small form. She had been quiet for some time now, but her eyes still felt so heavy. She had no idea what to do, or what she should have done. There was a terrible pit of anxiety writhing in her stomach, filling her head with doubt. Should she have just given in? Would she be able to last? Would she hurt James?
The same worries spiralled through her head over and over, putting her on edge. She didn’t know the solution to any of her problems, and she worried that she had made the wrong decision. If she had, she was terrified that she would end up harming James whether she wanted to or not. Linnet felt certain that he would be upset at her; perhaps he would even hate her. She would hardly blame him if he did. She was putting him in harm’s way and for what? So she could fight against fate? It seemed so foolish now.
Yet, she could not imagine a way that she could simply give in and eat a soul. There had to be some other solution, didn’t there? She was willing to do whatever was necessary. Her desire to avoid eating a soul was almost as strong as her desire to avoid seeing Drake gloat over her if she did give in. She could not let him win this. But did she really have a choice? Her mind buzzed and fretted, unable to come to any resolution as time passed beneath her notice. Though she felt fatigued to her core and her eyes were heavy, her worried mind would not slow enough to let her manage more than a light doze.
Finally, she decided that she simply had to get up and do something. It was obvious by now that she had no easy answer, but she at least owed James an explanation. After all, he was the one who would be harmed if she failed. Drake seemed not to care either way, and that only made her feel more tense. The responsibility was on her shoulders alone.
As she exited the room, stiff from sitting still for so long, she was surprised to see how bright it was. She had no idea how long she had been hidden away. She almost lost her nerve, wondering if James may have already given up on her. Maybe he already despised her. She had no way of knowing other than to go find him.
She wandered about, looking for James, until she abruptly knew where he was even before he came around the corner. She stopped, waiting, a slight glint of hope in her worried eyes as she tried to gauge his reaction to seeing her. She could not tell whether he was upset or not, but she had to make some sort of explanation for her decision. He deserved at least that.
Afraid she would lose her nerve, she dropped her gaze and took a deep breath. “James? I-- I wanted to talk to ya.” Her gaze darted around, betraying anxiety that Drake would find them. She tried to continue but only managed nonsensical stammers. After a moment, James directed them into a room.
As Linnet proceeded in, she stood not facing James for a moment, bracing herself for what she needed to say, and for what she thought would be James’s inevitable reaction. Finally, she steadied herself enough to turn, momentarily meeting James’s eye.
“I’m so sorry, James. Really I am. I’m puttin’ you in danger, an’ it’s all my fault. I just can't do it. I can't make meself. I’m sorry... I don't’ wanna hurt you!” The words came in a rush and she hardly paused to breath. Her gaze dropped to the floor, her tone becoming almost hysterical, but she could not stop the flow of words. “I understand if you’re mad. You got every right ta be. I’m bein’ so foolish, but there has to be something, don’t there? Anything I could do, I would. I just don't’ wanna hurt you. I want ya to believe me, but I don’t got any right to ask, do I? Please, don’... don’t be mad. I--”
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Post by Pieluver on Nov 2, 2022 2:02:05 GMT
When he sensed her nearby, James’s gait stammered. It took a moment, a deep breath, and a swallow before he continued forward, rounding the corner. She must have sensed him too, because she was looking straight at him. He swallowed again, shifting sheepishly and trying not to let his gaze fall to the ground. Her expression was anxious, he could read that much, but what did that mean? His eyes dropped to the ground for a few seconds, and he fiddled with one of the buttons on his jacket. But then she spoke and his eyes jumped back to her immediately. She wanted to talk. That was.... a good sign, right? She didn’t seem angry, exactly, so maybe they could work this out?
James straightened up, instinctively looking behind him as if worried that Drake was going to appear. For good reason, since the demon seemed to always decide to show up at the worst possible moment. He couldn’t tell if the stammering Linnet was thinking the same thing, or if she was just anxious about what she had, or worst case scenario, anxious in his presence. James’s teeth caught his bottom lip and he gestured towards one of the doors in the hall, holding it open for her and shutting it firmly behind them with a silent plea that Drake wouldn’t show his face.
When he turned, Linnet was not facing him. James felt his heart stop beating for a moment. What did this mean? Was she steeling herself to yell at him? He shrank a little bit, his eyes fixed on her back. He deserved it, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t afraid. When she turned, James felt his breath catch in his throat, but managed to prevent himself from flinching as the avalanche of words descended upon him.
But...what was this? She was apologizing…. What was she apologizing for? None of this whatsoever was her fault. He stared at her, bewildered as she kept talking, the words tripping over each other as they tumbled from her mouth. She was apologizing because she didn’t want to hurt him? What did…? It took a moment for him to realize what exactly she was talking about. Because when she went feral, she’d likely attack him, and she was worried about that.
A moment of relief flooded his system. Did that mean she wasn’t mad? But...she’d seemed so disgusted...it didn’t make sense…
The boy took a step forward, then another, until he was standing directly in front of her. She was still rambling, so he grabbed her hand in the hopes that she would stop the needless apologetics. She was the victim in this situation, there was nothing for her to apologize for. He stared at her for several seconds, wishing that this was all it took to communicate what he was thinking. Wishing that he could just tell her that it was okay, that he didn’t blame her. He smiled a sad smile at her, shaking his head gently, then hesitated for a moment, trying to think of how exactly to communicate his feelings to her.
He didn’t care if she attacked him. He, better than anyone, understood that the hunger was it’s own entity, she was not responsible for it. She deserved the freedom to resist it. He would not stand in her way.
His eyes darted to the side for a moment as he thought, his face settling into a more serious expression. Then he raised his chin, exposing his soft throat, eyes shut, and lifted her hand to the hollow between his collarbones and esophagus, holding it there. He trusted her. Despite the fact that the thought of being attacked by her again was making his heart judder frantically, he still trusted her and respected her decisions. If she needed to attack him, he would make himself vulnerable to her. It was the least he could do...after everything.
And it wasn’t like she could commit some damage to him that he hadn’t sustained before.
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Post by Pieluver on Nov 2, 2022 2:02:16 GMT
Linnet was startled into abrupt silence by the cool touch of James’s hand. Her eyes darted up as she gave him a surprised look. She had not noticed him approach with all her rambling. She had to force herself not to flinch away from the unexpected contact. This was James after all, and she knew he would not harm her.
Still, she was surprised that there was no anger in his eyes, no wariness. A bit of the weight of her worry melted away, and she was able to let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She wanted to know what he was trying to communicate to her, but she was sure there was no hate in that steady gaze. At least that was her hope. His reassuring smile and the shake of his head only confirmed her thoughts.
She gave a small sigh, dropping her gaze and trying to release some of the tension from her form as James thought. It seemed odd, standing there, waiting, holding his hand. The contact made her want to fidget, but she had to give him time to communicate what he needed to express. She was honestly curious. If he was not angry with her, then what was going through his head? It was somewhat frustrating that it was such a process for them to communicate, but that was mostly her fault. After all, she didn’t even know her letters! Still, she was willing to be patient, and to do her best to understand. That was all she could do for him at this point, after all.
Nevertheless, his next movement managed to catch her off guard. He lifted his chin, pulling her forward as he rested her hand at his throat. She was confounded for a moment, giving him a questioning glance even as her breath caught in her throat and her cheeks reddened.
“I’m... I don’t…” she stammered.
She hardly trusted herself being this close to him. She could feel his pulse fluttering under her fingers. Didn’t he realize how defenseless he was like this? She could end up…. With that she realized that was just what he meant. Her startled gaze snapped up to his. There was a slight tinge of desperation to her look, making it clear that she was scared. Not of James, but of herself. A lump formed in her throat, but she managed to keep herself from crying. Did he really trust her that much? She truly felt she did not deserve it. After all, she had no trust for herself, when it came down to it.
Linnet’s hand trembled slightly against his neck, she could not help it. She was tempted to draw away, but she stopped herself. The slight pressure of his hand over hers was enough to keep it there. It seemed that he was deciding to trust her, and she wanted so badly to earn that confidence. After all, she trusted him implicitly. He would never hurt her. Didn’t he deserve to be able to have that same trust in her? It was then that she decided.
She was able to meet his gaze with more confidence than she felt. “James, Sir James. Thank you, but… But I wanna make ya a promise. No, I need to.” She pulled her hand back from his neck so she could shift her grip, holding their hands upright between them. A small, solemn smile curved her lips, and she spoke with a voice husky with emotion. “I… I promise never to hurt you. I trust ya, and if you're... gonna trust me too, well, I gotta earn it, don’ I?”
She gave him an imploring gaze, hoping for his acceptance.
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Post by Pieluver on Nov 2, 2022 2:02:42 GMT
Her fingers shook within his gentle grasp, and he opened his eyes again to look at her. The gaze returned to him was one of fear. Was she afraid of him? But she didn’t say anything. They just stood there for a few moments, her slightly warmer hand unmoving. What did this mean?
When she spoke, his eyes refocused on her. She pulled her hand away, but didn’t let go of his. Her face was serious now, eyes earnest. She made her promise. James stared up at her, eyebrows drawn at the sincerity in her voice. As if she hadn’t already earned his trust a thousand times over by remaining near, through her obviously deep remorse for anything she’d done while not in control of herself. Didn’t she understand that none of that was her fault? That he didn’t blame her for any of it?
But she...she obviously cared so much...for him, even after everything he had done and had failed to do.
It wasn’t fair that, in just a couple words, she could make him cry like this. The boy hunched up a little, resting his forehead on their clasped hands to hide the tears gathering in his eyes. He sniffled a little, and heaved a deep sigh before he really registered how absurd all this was. She always seemed to work so hard. Trying to protect him when really he should be protecting her, trying to beg for his trust when really he should be the one entreating her.
It was small at first, ambiguous enough that it was difficult to tell whether he was crying or laughing. It became more apparent when he let go of her hand, lifting his head to fruitlessly wipe at the tears freely streaming down his face, still laughing helplessly. What a mess this all was. And how on earth was he supposed to tell her anything? But she was still here, she was still Linnet, who seemed to care for his welfare more than most anyone he’d ever met, and he couldn’t do anything other than laugh and cry at the same time. What a mess he was.
It took a few moments to calm down, the laughter subsiding, leaving him breathing heavily, face flushed and eyes still streaming. He looked back up to her, a watery smile on his face, and sniffled again. He reached up and pressed his fist against his chest above his heart, trying to communicate how much her promise meant to him.
How was it that she could be so kind to something like him?
A deep, weary sigh escaped him, and James seemed to deflate slowly until he was sitting down on the floor, knees to his chest, wiping the last of the tears from his eyes with the heel of his hand. If only he could...but there was no way to express anything that complex with gestures alone. He wanted to apologize for everything he’d failed to do, he wanted to so very badly, but there was no way.
So instead, he did the next best thing. Which was flop backwards, cover his face with his hands, and groan, looking very much like a child. The sporadic hysteric giggle still threatened him, but he was mostly calm now, despite his distress at his own inability to communicate. If only Drake didn’t seem bent on harassing Linnet every time he saw her. It would be useful to have a translator. To be able to talk properly. Of course, if it wasn’t for Drake, he’d be able to talk...well he’d also be dead, but that was beside the point. Stupid demon, making it difficult to have friends.
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Post by Pieluver on Nov 2, 2022 2:03:08 GMT
Linnet was slightly startled as she noticed the tears starting to gather in James’s eyes. Had she said something wrong? Perhaps not. He did not pull away, instead hiding his face with their still entwined hands. He let out a sniffle, and Linnet gave him a small, concerned smile, though he could not see it. She was not totally sure what to do, especially as his shoulders started shaking. Then Linnet truly wondered if she had done something that upset him.
Her brows drew upward and scrunched, expressing her concern and confusion, but as James tipped his head back she realized he was laughing, even as the tears still made tracks down his cheeks. Her lips quirked into a small smile, though she was still somewhat bewildered. She realized that she quite liked James’s laugh. There was something rather genuine about it. She gave a small laugh of her own in response, able to appreciate the hilarity of the situation even if she had no idea what James was really thinking.
Finally, he calmed, though tears still flowed down his cheeks. He raised a fist to his heart and Linnet reciprocated with an encouraging smile, though she was totally unsure what he was trying to communicate after that odd combination of laughter and tears. He sat and flopped to the floor, starting to wipe the tears from his eyes.
Linnet’s apprehension grew at the small collapse, totally unsure of what the boy was thinking. She stepped carefully to one side of him, a bemused look on her face as she leaned over to assess if anything was wrong.
“Ah you alright?” she asked.
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Post by Pieluver on Nov 2, 2022 2:03:17 GMT
It had been a few days, probably close to a week, though time did tend to run together when he wasn’t busy interacting with humans and their ever so important clocks and dates and all that. Drake had been busy. Today, however, he was contemplating whether he really should go out and hunt again, just in case the presence of a human in the house would be enough to push Linnet to eat. He’d said he wouldn’t push the issue, though, so he wouldn’t ask her. She’d need to come to him if she needed food. Though, he wasn’t above underhanded means to watch her squirm. Today, however, was not one of those days. Today was the day when he would introduce Linnet to the wonderful world of literature. That is--if he could find her.
He was prowling through the halls, occasionally poking his head into a room, hoping to sniff her out without having to resort to scenting her. When he finally did find her, his countenance brightened considerably. “Linnet!” he called, pushing his hands casually into his pockets. Now, if she’d just acknowledge him instead of turning and walking the other way, he’d be great. Maybe it would be good to further entice her? Let her know that he had no intention of teasing her. At least, not today.
“I found some books last time I was out that you might like, if you’re interested to take a look at them?” he offered, shifting on his feet and trying to make his expression not look too...patronizing? Was that the word? It was difficult to figure out how to look ‘genuine.’ What did that even mean? James knew his body language so well that it wasn’t difficult to communicate with him, but Linnet wouldn’t understand any of that yet, any better than he could read her past knowing that when she turned away, she meant to flee. Humans were such a pain, but he needed to make the effort. If he did now, hopefully it would be easier to deal with her in the future, right?
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Post by Pieluver on Nov 2, 2022 2:03:26 GMT
Linnet wandered through the halls, looking for some sign of James. It had been nearly a week since she had refused to eat a soul, and two since she had gained consciousness. Despite her initial anxieties, managing herself had not yet become unbearable. It was by no means easy, but she was handling it, slowly adjusting, even though she knew she didn’t have time to waste.
Though she had been so desperate to find some way around it, she could think of no way to stop the hunger, or to otherwise escape. She had no idea what she would do when it did become too much, but for now she tried not to think of that. Still, James always seemed to be able to calm her, to reassure her, and Linnet was grateful for his soothing presence. No doubt he was somewhere napping, but where? She searched without opening her soul sense in the slightest; she was still too nervous that she might lose control.
Her search jolted to a halt when she turned a corner and found Drake just a few meters in front of her. She stiffened, but held her ground as he called her name. He looked oddly pleased. She doubted that boded well for her. Her eyes dropped as she waited to see what he wanted. The temptation to turn and flee was strong, but she resisted for the moment. She was still rather terrified of Drake, but she had some pride, at least.
After a moment, he spoke again. He was offering to show her books? Linnet was bewildered enough that her eyes darted up to his face, trying to figure out what he was playing at. She stared for a moment in disbelief at the absurd offer. This was not what she expected at all. There had to be some motivation behind his words, some trick he wanted to pull that she wasn’t seeing yet.
Linnet suddenly realized she hadn’t responded yet. Her brows pulled together in confusion as she spoke. “Books? Well, I… uh, books don’t really interest me all that much, considerin’... I--” she stopped abruptly, suddenly embarrassed. This had caught her off guard, and she hardly knew what to expect.
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Post by Pieluver on Nov 2, 2022 2:03:35 GMT
Linnet seemed confused. Which was, considering all the other emotions she could be displaying, not too bad. Well, other than the fact that she stumbled through a vague refusal. It was obviously a touchy subject. He’d have to be careful not to injure her pride, or she’d definitely leave. One of his hands left its pocket, running over his jaw before situating itself at the back of his neck, rubbing at his hairline. “Well, you know, early on with James, he didn’t care much for reading, and I figured, since you’re also pretty young, that you might not either, so I thought maybe I could help?” He paused for a beat. Would that work? He figured that outright accusing her of illiteracy might wound her, and then she’d never admit to it. But this way he could be gentle and then see exactly how much she knew.
He was counting on it not being too much. She’d obviously lived on the streets for a good while, at least, judging by her stout accent, and chances were slim that someone would have taught her how to read then. And admittedly, he was a bit excited to teach her. It had been fun to teach James to read, that point in time when life really came back into him, when he started to seem excited about things again. Maybe it would be a good bonding opportunity, since Linnet would certainly be spending the rest of eternity with them. Or however long the mortal coil was supposed to last, at least.
“Also, once you get a ways into reading, it won’t be too difficult to learn James’s signs,” he said, making the gestures that roughly equated to what he was saying simultaneously. “Then you two can really talk instead of just trying to guess what he’s saying.” She really seemed to like James, so maybe bringing him into the equation, although extraneously, would help motivate her? It was worth a try, at least.
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Post by Pieluver on Nov 2, 2022 2:03:44 GMT
She watched him closely, peeking up at the demon without raising her head, disbelief clear on her features. He was dancing around the subject so much that Linnet was not entirely sure what he was trying to get at. It was a bit absurd, really, but she didn’t know what to make of it. There had to be some motivation behind his words, some end he wanted to accomplish, but she could not fathom what that might be. Either way, she always hated when someone refused to get to the point. It usually meant they were trying to hide something, and she had very little patience for that.
He brought up that reading could help her figure out James’s signs, and her face finally softened, if only slightly. She straightened, watching his gestures with a spark of interest. Still, as attractive as the prospect of communicating with James was, Linnet was getting a bit impatient with all Drake’s dithering about. She cut to the point.
“So, you’re sayin’… you want to teach me… how to read?” she asked. Her befuddlement apparent, she angrily blurted out an accusing, “Why d’you care?” before she could stop herself.
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