OOM: Upstairs Milliways

[eleutherios]

Eros stands outside of apartment 111, and waits. And winces.

"Hub bub bub bub."

"I hope you're not drooling again," he says, hesitantly.

"Bub bub bub bub."

"You are, aren't you?"

"Bub bub!"

"What did I tell you? If you're going to argue then you're going to have to use normal words like everyone else."

There is a long pause. Then, the voice which had previously been speaking nonsense says, "Down."

"Fine."

Eros complies, kneeling down and swinging the small child off of his shoulder, letting her stand on the floor. She wobbles slightly but stands upright, using one hand to grasp his trousers. Apparently pleased with herself, she turns to look up at Eros, fixing him with a stern look through her golden blond curls.

"Bear."

Brushing off his knees as he stands upright, Eros reaches for the pocket of his finely-tailored suit jacket, which is bulging in a most unfashionable manner - stuffed as it is with plush animal. After a brief moment of wrestling and one or two snapped stitches, he, grumbling, pulls out a teddy bear. It's not quite a regular teddy bear - for one thing it's been modelled more on a grizzly than anything else, and its tiny plastic fangs and claws clearly state: Serious Business.

The child takes the bear and immediately sticks its head into her mouth.

Eros continues his wait, watching the door and looking pained.

A minute or so passes.

Finally the little girl takes the bear's head out of her mouth again. "Open," she says firmly.

"It's not quite that simple," Eros mumbles.

The girl seems to consider this. "Open!" And she swings the bear like a weapon.

"No, wait, I'm not quite ready to -!"

But it's too late. The bear strikes the door three times with surprising force, resulting in a tone that could only be described as a knock.

Eros sighs, and covers his eyes with one hand. "Oh, here we go."

Comments

[winged-eros.livejournal.com]

"Yeah - ow! I got it from a book actually. It has a deep and appropriate meaning that I'm sure I could recall were I not being subjected to cranial trauma. Eleanor!"

The little girl pulls back, pouting. Then she turns to Goldy, looking thoughtful. After a moment she holds out the animal - gently, like an offering. "Bear," she says. As an afterthought she adds, "Rarr."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Seriously touched by the gesture, Goldy's features soften even more. She accepts the toy with one of the sincerest smiles that has ever graced her face.

"Aw. Thank you, darling. Mommy likes bears."

"Very much."

It's not like a millennium's worth of locked up maternal instincts are suddenly bursting free. But it's a start. Where it goes from here remains to be seen...

The Fable ushers her child out of bathroom then starts to leave herself. As an afterthought she turns on her heel and returns to the fallen god's side.

A hand is silently offered to him.

[winged-eros.livejournal.com]

Eros flinches at first, expecting further violence. When none is forthcoming, he glances cautiously up at Goldy between his fingers.

"Oh."

Slowly but keenly he breaks into a grin. Grateful for this sign of forgiveness, he grabs hold of her helping hand, and uses it to pull himself up, babbling all the while.

"I knew this would be a good idea. I mean at first I was sort of afraid, but I knew that once you actually met her you'd see, she's a really great kid. The three of us together... it'll be great."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

Goldy's faint smile doesn't match his enthusiasm at all. That should set off some alarm bells. But apparently it doesn't.

She waits until he's upright.

Then slams her fist into his gut.

So much for forgiveness.

"Mommy?"

"Coming, sweetie!"