1x1 Choco & S o l a c e

[t i r e d.]

Leita had never told anyone her story before, or even how she couldn't sleep at night, and that the crashes in the dark made her cry. She reached up and grasped Kerith's hand, squeezing it gently for a second. "Thank you." Her dark eyes focused in on his face, the one she would choose to see over her own flesh and blood. She let her hands stay there for a moment before they fell, and once they did she rose from her chair, pushing it so that it was tucked against the table. "Don't worry about talking to my mother though. She'll think I ran away again, and I.. I don't want.. a clean break would be easier." she finally finished. In truth, she didn't want to show this man that she already cared for, if she was honest with herself, to her mother. The woman would be able to sense her weakness and she'd be after it like a shark to blood. She turned and walked hesitantly towards her bedroom and turned again to sit on the bed. Her fingers smoothed her black skirt while her eyes scanned the room. She wouldn't be able to turn the light back off. Thinking back, she realized she hadn't exactly explained why she freaked out in the dark. She shrugged her shoulders at herself. Kerith would either let it go or ask her.

[Choco]

Kerith nodded, wondering if he was doing the right thing by selling her. He was sure his client would break her fragile heart, and that was the last thing he wanted. No, he probably wouldn't sell her. He walked up to her bedroom, sitting down next to her quietly and looking over at her. "So, why did you get scared in the dark? Were you worried that it was all happening again?" He asked, deciding that he would definately end up shaping the crystal for her. She deserved something better then what she had gotten. He gently reached out, putting an arm around her shoulders. "I won't talk to her if you don't want me to." He said softly, reaching up with his opposite hand to gently play with her hair. He didn't bother to tell her that he probably would end up going and telling her mother off, although he didn't know why he felt so strongly about that. He knew he shouldn't, knew it was wrong, but he did anyway. He continued playing with her hair, feeling strangely protective of the small girl.

[t i r e d.]

Leita shrugged her small shoulders. "Maybe that's it. Mostly though, it just brings back memories. If I got hit, or got too scared, I would run and hide someplace dark, where they wouldn't find me even if they thought to look." her glossy hair fell forward over her shoulder so that it hid her face. She shifted so that she could pull her feet underneath her. The action caused her to end up leaning against Kerith, but she liked his nearness. A small yawn surprised her. She was tired, mentally and physically from the day, but she never even thought about sleep during the night time anymore. She could almost imagine falling asleep like she was just then though, Kerith supporting in a way that was beginning to become normal, and her almost, but not quite, curled up into his side.

[Choco]

Kerith nodded, watching her in a cautious way. He ran his fingers through her hair gently, hoping that the action would calm her and she would slowly fall asleep. "You should sleep, Leita, you really should." He said softly, looking down at her. "I won't leave the house if you're worried about that, I'll just go to my own room once you fall asleep." He explained to her with a small smile, looking at her. She really was a beautiful girl, and no girl deserved what she had been through. He was glad that he had taken her from her old life, although if he sold her, her new life wouldn't be much better. "Nobody will come and hurt you during the night.." He soothed, giving her shoulders a squeeze. He had no idea whether he was doing this whole comforting thing correctly, but he really hoped so.

[t i r e d.]

Leita's eyes drooped as her hair was stroked, more and more of her weight ending up against Kerith. She opened her mouth to say something, but the calming movement soothed her. She dozed for a brief moment, but quickly, she jerked her head off of where it had fallen on Kerith's shoulder and her eyes snapped open. It took her a second to regather her bearings, but she remembered everything distinctly. Including the fact that she'd just fallen asleep. At night. "If I wake up, I'll be able to find you, right?" She turned her neck so that she could look at him, but she didn't make a single movement that indicated she wanted to get up. "Or I could just stay awake. I'm used to it." Really, she knew she was worried about waking up alone, back in her old house, the early afternoon sun in her eyes, discovering it was all just a dream.

[Choco]

"Of course you will. My room is just next to yours, remember? You discovered that after I had my shower." Kerith said with a raised eyebrow at her, although he lowered it as he went back to stroking her hair and trying to make her fall asleep once more, although for a longer period then she had just then. "I think you should fall asleep, else you'll be sleeping most of the day tomorrow and that won't be very fun for you." He said with a shrug, not wanting to move too much because he jostled her every time he moved. He moved his hand from her hair to her back, gently rubbing her back in hope that it would work better then the hair technique did, as she hadn't fallen asleep. She certainly was an odd girl, and she interested him. He wanted to find out much more about her, although he knew that feeling was silly.

[t i r e d.]

"Mhm." the murmur was some form of agreement as she slipped into sleep, her cheek sliding a bit to come to rest on Kerith's shoulder. Her hair laid across her face, the dark strands making her skin seem even paler. Her mouth fell open so that she could breathe. Her open hand lay on her lap, and it twitched as she began to dream. In the dream world, she carved a world with her fingertips, and told the sun it could only smile upon the people below it. Her open lips lifted in a smile as the dream went on, her world blooming in her care.

[Choco]

Kerith smiled faintly as she fell asleep on him, not moving very much from his position. His gaze stayed on her cute face for a short while before he decided he should probably leave her to sleep. He gently moved the pillow so she was curled up with her head on it, quietly moving away. He sneaked into his own room, taking out the crystal and putting it on his table. He wasn't sure what he would shape of it, but he had some pretty good ideas so far. With a smile, he started to sketch out a couple of good shapes for the crystal on a spare piece of paper.

(Sorry for short post - I'm a rush. Timeskip until she wakes up? Could you start?)

[t i r e d.]

{Of course.}

Leita awoke all at once again, but not the same way she had last night. At first she thought she'd woken up as soon as Kerith had placed her on the pillow, because there wasn't any light coming from anywhere besides the artificial sun in the middle of the room. Confused, she sat up in the bed and looked around until she saw a clock. 6:23 am. She'd slept forever. Rubbing her forehead with the back of her hand, she yawned. Maybe that hadn't been enough sleep to carry her until the next night, but she wasn't in the mood to go to sleep at all. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she moved into a stretch as she rose, her muscles tightening and then releasing. It all felt so natural. She could feel the absence of another person though, she definitely knew she was alone. But she wasn't frantic. Not yet, at least. Walking across the hall to Kerith's room, she gently knocked on the door frame even though the door was open before swinging her head in. "Morning."

[Choco]

Kerith looked over his shoulder when she walked in and nodded at her before going back to drawing what the crystal would look like once he had finished crafting it. "You slept well, I see?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at her before turning back to his work. His desk was littered with discarded drawings, and he had drawn a couple of the crystal from different points of view also. He wasn't bothered putting any of them away, since he knew that she would most likely be interested in them and would pester him until he showed her. Well, that was what he expected anyway. So instead, he simply leaned back in his seat and waited for her to come over to see what he had been doing the whole night. He was still not satisfied with any of the drawings he had done yet, even though he had done many.