no-longer-your-little-girl:

wrapped-in-shadows:

no-longer-your-little-girl:

She had been about to answer, mouth already open, when he moves in closer that quickly and grabs hold of her. Eyes wide, Lucy is absolutely still except for her breathing as she stares at the man holding onto her.

Was he trying to hug her? She didn’t know, but the contact had been so sudden that she didn’t know how to react at first, couldn’t react now without it looking strange. “Um…”

As he realized what he’d done, the creature pulled away quickly, his face turning grape-purple with embarrassment. “S-sorry! I’m so sorry! I don’t know what came over me!” He waited in horror to see how the girl would react. If she ran away screaming, he wouldn’t blame her at all. 

She’s still stunned, staring up at him with wide-eyed and open-mouthed surprise. He was apologizing again… Lucy bites her lip, glancing to the side and watching him out of the corner of her eye. “Um, you don’t need to… do that.” She was still getting used to physical contact, even after all these months.

“Oh, don’t worry, I won’t!” he replied quickly, thinking she was talking about the hug. “I … I think it’s better if I leave, before it happens again.”

no-longer-your-little-girl:

wrapped-in-shadows:

no-longer-your-little-girl:

Lucy looks confused, biting the corner of her lip as she stares up at his lack of face. “Should I?” Why was he looking for her? Nothing like him had shown up in any of Matron’s stories, or the ones from her prison Aunts; she would have remembered if she’d heard something similar.

“I d-don’t know,” the creature replied. “I don’t even I know why I’m here. I keep having this -” He’d been about to say ‘having this urge to look for children’, but realized how horribly creepy that would sound. “I guess I just hoped you might have some clue.” 

Then, it happened. Instinct took over. 

Before he could stop himself, the creature swooped down and wrapped his long arms around Lucy in what was meant to be a friendly hug. 

She had been about to answer, mouth already open, when he moves in closer that quickly and grabs hold of her. Eyes wide, Lucy is absolutely still except for her breathing as she stares at the man holding onto her.

Was he trying to hug her? She didn’t know, but the contact had been so sudden that she didn’t know how to react at first, couldn’t react now without it looking strange. “Um…”

As he realized what he’d done, the creature pulled away quickly, his face turning grape-purple with embarrassment. “S-sorry! I’m so sorry! I don’t know what came over me!” He waited in horror to see how the girl would react. If she ran away screaming, he wouldn’t blame her at all. 

no-longer-your-little-girl:

wrapped-in-shadows:

no-longer-your-little-girl:

Why was he looking at her like that? If he was, that is. That he didn’t have a face is making her even more nervous. Still, Lucy refuses to let it show too much, that same brave grin still on her face. Which name to introduce herself by? She knew she still had a long way to go yet before being able to claim the other one…

“Lucy.” Her answer comes slowly, toeing the ground.

“Lucy …” The name echoes as he speaks it. Somewhere deep in his memory, he recalls that name – had Katelynn mentioned it once? The part of the creature that is still Jack Maple kicks himself for not paying more attention, and promises to make it up to her for not listening. “That’s a nice name. Um … th-this is going to sound strange, but do you have any idea why I might be looking for you?” 

Lucy looks confused, biting the corner of her lip as she stares up at his lack of face. “Should I?” Why was he looking for her? Nothing like him had shown up in any of Matron’s stories, or the ones from her prison Aunts; she would have remembered if she’d heard something similar.

“I d-don’t know,” the creature replied. “I don’t even I know why I’m here. I keep having this -” He’d been about to say ‘having this urge to look for children’, but realized how horribly creepy that would sound. “I guess I just hoped you might have some clue." 

Then, it happened. Instinct took over. 

Before he could stop himself, the creature swooped down and wrapped his long arms around Lucy in what was meant to be a friendly hug. 

no-longer-your-little-girl:

wrapped-in-shadows:

no-longer-your-little-girl:

wrapped-in-shadows:

[He reels back as she shrieks, obviously very distressed. His tentacle-like hands wave about as he insists] Oh no, no, p-please don’t be afraid! I’m sorry, I’m so s-sorry!

While he’s apologizing, she’s looking him over, moving around Jack to get a better look at him (and avoid his hands). “I’m not afraid!” Lucy insists, false bravado in her voice as she finally stops, standing in front of him again.

The creature paused. When he spoke, his voice seemed to come from inside her own head. “You’re n-not?” He straightened up a little – not in a hostile way, but as if he was growing more confident. “Well, you’re a brave one, then. I know I’d be scared if I met me.”

Lucy barely manages to hide that she was about to touch a hand to the side of her head, fingers twitching despite it. “Nuh-uh.” She forces a grin. Seeing how tall he actually is is making her want to try and look smaller even if she knows she can’t right now. “Not scared of you.” Liar.

That blank blue head tilted quizzically. The new senses he couldn’t quite describe were telling him that the girl was afraid – he could almost feel the heat as her heart beat faster. But, at the same time, he was impressed she was standing her ground. It did make him feel better about the whole situation. 

“What’s your name, then, oh brave one?” He knew there were other blue people in the city, but didn’t recall ever having seen one this young. 

no-longer-your-little-girl:

wrapped-in-shadows:

[He reels back as she shrieks, obviously very distressed. His tentacle-like hands wave about as he insists] Oh no, no, p-please don’t be afraid! I’m sorry, I’m so s-sorry!

While he’s apologizing, she’s looking him over, moving around Jack to get a better look at him (and avoid his hands). “I’m not afraid!” Lucy insists, false bravado in her voice as she finally stops, standing in front of him again.

The creature paused. When he spoke, his voice seemed to come from inside her own head. “You’re n-not?” He straightened up a little – not in a hostile way, but as if he was growing more confident. “Well, you’re a brave one, then. I know I’d be scared if I met me.”