six_word_stories | (no subject)

Talkin' about it and knowin' about it aren't the same thing, honey. Sometimes talkin' about it is the best way to help get over it. It's called gettin' it off your chest.

So why don't you just start where you feel most comfortable.

[Another jumble as she tries to figure out how to reply: adoration for momma, uncertainty, self-doubt.... fear. She wanted to be good, wanted momma to be happy with her, wanted everyone to like her......

She wasn't guarding her thoughts at the moment, too upset to rein herself in very well. The day had really thrown her off. Something about fearing that momma was getting suspicious about her good behavior, when Layla had been such a heartless brat before. Something about having said thank you to the guy who'd served her ice cream at the mall, when they'd visited it not long ago.]

But then that wouldn't be anywhere.

[She buries her face in her doll. Oddly enough, the doll seems to be emoting a little too, a faint discontent.]

[She doesn't hesitate any further and instead just moves to gather Layla up in a hug. She can see it all; of course, she doesn't mean to see it all, but the ones hurting are the easiest to read. She strokes Layla's hair and murmurs softly.]

Then you don't have to, it's alright. I ain't going anywhere.

[She doesn't protest being hugged up, she moves to settle into it, her doll on her lap.]

How do you know, anyway?

[K̢̈́ń̻ő̦w̡̒ ̛̣w̮̾h̰̕à̜t̟͌ ̰͂s̡̉h͖̔e̩̎ ̤͗d̠̽ȉ͎d̫̆,̖͛ ̬̑w̩͂h̆͜e̜͌r̯͗e̝͝ ̤̌L̗͋a͖͗y̼̎l̲̈́a͔͋ ̼́w̢̎ã̯s̫͠,̼̓ ̲̍w̳̏h̫͐á̟t͒͜ ̈́͜h̞̽ä̙́p̟̒p̈́ͅḛ͑n̙͝e̺͠d͚̆ ̮͂e̟͐a͇̒r̨̚l̬͊ḯ̫é͔ṙ͍ ̢͂t̞̕h͍̅ä͓́t͓͒ ̭̋d̳̉à̖y̤͋

But she's trying to listen to the lady: there's a warmth there that reminds her of momma, and she doesn't seem upset. Either she doesn't really know, or.....

Or.....

Her mind couldn't come up with anything else. Was she bluffing about knowing?]

I'm somethin' called a Legilimens. It... well, not that I mean to honey, but it means I can read minds. [It wasn't how it actually worked, but for the sake of simplifying, it did the trick.]

You poor thing...

[Oh.

Her thoughts caught for a moment at that as her breath did. It wasn't a swear word that passed through her mind then, so much as a kind of cringe. Maybe if she'd been an adult, she would've, but instead, she simply sank down into the hug more.

After a moment, quiet, tears threatening in those big dark eyes of hers as she peeked up again:]

You won't tell anyone?

[She merely gathers up Layla in a much tighter hug, stroking her hair and rocking her back and forth.]

It ain't your fault honey, and it's not for me ta tell. But I won't go anywhere.

[She hugs back tighter]

But it is my fault. I'm the one that made Layla be quiet. And... I'm not telling momma.

And I know it's lying, and that's bad... but I'm not a bad monster, I promise....

But... what if momma figures it out and gets upset?

What if she wants the first Layla back?

I think honey, you need to realize a mother will always want to protect her baby, and if you made her baby sleep, then she's gonna get mad. I know it's sad, but you need to give Layla back her body, honey. We'll get you a new one, but Layla deserves a life.

Even if she's a bad monster?

She doesn't love momma. Or anyone. I think I only got in because she was empty.....

Wait, a new one? [She looks up again, trying to wrap her mind around this.] So.... so someone else?

Edited 2017-09-28 01:53 (UTC)