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Post by Vyn on Jan 27, 2008 1:43:54 GMT -5
Hatter froze up for a moment, a pang of fear racing through him once Peaches burst into tears. He...hadn't meant to do that! He didn't want her to cry for him! As quickly as it came the panic subsided into concern and his arms found their way around her once more. Shifting ever so slightly in order to make the position more comfortable, Hatter hugged the sweet Torque against him.
"It's alright, Peaches..." He ran his hand through her hair, stroking her softly and reassuringly. Something deep down told him this was not a usual occurance for her, these tears... They were a product of emotional bottling as strong as his own and of loss that she did not often get to express. In fact, he knew them well. "You don't need to be sorry for me, dear Peaches... Not at all."
If only he could think of the right thing to say to ease those tears away...but no, he didn't imagine he could. Words weren't entirely proper right now. So he allowed the silence in the room to wash over them and continued to softly stroke her hair as he held her tight against him.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jan 27, 2008 1:58:15 GMT -5
She sobbed in his chest as he stroked her hair. It made her feel better to some degree, but plenty of tears were escaping her eyes. The poor man's shirt was going to be soaked if she kept going at it like this. The probably was once she started to cry it was difficult to stop, which is why she didn't do it so often.
"I-I'm s-sorry I'm being s-stupid," Peaches said as she slowly looked up from his chest. "I-It's just... I... It's all my fault my brother's dead and I g-guess I've been holding it back for s-so long that you saying that just...." As much as Peaches wanted to finish her sentence she couldn't. She whimpered and just looked at him. That was all she could do in the moment of silence.
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Post by Vyn on Jan 27, 2008 2:13:37 GMT -5
Hatter was torn inside, between wanting to ease her tears and the knowledge that she needed to let go for once and get some of this emotional backlog out. How many years had she held this in behind a mask of unbroken cheer? When she spoke up at last, attempting to apologize for her tears and other such things, Hatter merely shook his head.
"You're anything but stupid, silly girl. Tears are healthy part of catharsis, just let it out... I'll stay with you while you do, even if we have to lay here all night." He pressed his forehead to hers, thinking on her words. How could it have been her fault? Was it even his place to ask? "Don't blame yourself in entirely. It's never all your fault, there are so many more factors in the things which shape our lives that one could never pin them on any one thing."
Despite being afraid that a kiss might not be the right course of action just then, he leaned in and gave her a brief peck on each tear-stained cheek; attempting to display his emotions in the gesture of affection and concern.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jan 27, 2008 2:31:15 GMT -5
She sobbed as she looked at him. He meant what he said, but it really still hurt. "It wasn't all my fault but it was still my fault. My brother meant the world to me and I s-should have protected him."
Peaches accepted the kiss on the cheek. Her eyes did widen a bit with surprise. Why was he being so nice? She really couldn't seem to understand it. Most people didn't pity her one bit and just agreed with her "stupid" comment and wandered off. That was why she never cried, and just expressed discontent.
She took a deep breathe and kissed him on the cheek in return. "Thank you. Thank you so much. You have no idea how much better you've made me feel...even if I am still crying a bit," she said with a sniff as she brushed away some tears with a coat sleeve.
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Post by Vyn on Jan 27, 2008 2:51:43 GMT -5
Oh how Hatter could relate to that. It made his heart ache just thinking about her loss, though he would not be quick to let her on to that. The poor kitten deserved him to be strong and give her the consolation she'd obviously been in great need of.
"I understand, kitten... More than I can aptly express."
Hatter honestly couldn't think of being anything but nice to her. Peaches was a wonderful girl and a lovely friend. He had been willing to tell her, beyond all but one other person, things that were usually locked in the deepest parts of his heart and she too had revealed herself to him. She had earned a great deal of respect from him and had undeniably won over a lifelong friend in the process.
"You're quite welcome, Peaches. I'm glad I could help and, as I said, crying isn't all too bad. Better too let it all out now than continue to bottle it."
Her return kiss made him grin and he nuzzled his reply against her cheek. Such a cute little thing too!
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jan 27, 2008 3:30:13 GMT -5
Kitten huh? At least she wasn't as far gone as that other Kitten. She sighed and closed her watery eyes. Why was it all the people she cared about were crushed under the flow of circumstances she could hardly control. Why was she so damn helpless when it came down to it?
"You really wouldn't mind if I stayed the whole night?" Peaches didn't look up at him. She kept her eyes closed and snuggled as close as she possibly could to his warmth. If only she could keep this moment for longer than a few indescribable moments. She could honestly say that for this brief moment she was truly happy and wasn't just wearing a smile for someone else's benefit.
She really couldn't thank him enough. Funny how things worked. This all just started with a curious poke. Random strangers were simply amazing, and obviously a package filled with amazing things. If Peaches could say the words that she barely heard as a child, she would have used them now without regret.
But she wasn't that far gone.
"Thank you, Hatter. I'm glad that I could meet someone like you. You're much more than just a puzzle or a secret keeper. You're a real person, and I'm happy to meet someone who is truly real." She purred slightly. If she stayed like this much longer she risked the chance of falling asleep on the poor man.
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Post by Kiki on Jan 27, 2008 7:01:32 GMT -5
Kari and Vyn receive 1 token each, to be redeemed in Ashwin's Shoppe.
This will automatically be added to your recorded totals in the shoppe.
Congratulations, and keep up the good RP!
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Post by Vyn on Jan 27, 2008 10:19:56 GMT -5
"Of course I wouldn't mind." Hatter grinned warmly although she couldn't see it from her current position, nuzzled against his chest as she was. "I mean what I say. I like your company, and I'm quite comfortable. You could stay the whole night, even longer if you wanted."
It was a rare moment indeed when Hatter found someone he bonded with so completely. From a simple poke and onward, Peaches had managed to be something to him that very few people ever reached. Sure he was quick to make friends, and he made a great deal of them, but very rarely did he actually grow an attachment to someone as he had to Peaches.
He nuzzled her cheek lightly and continued those soothing strokes.
"You're welcome, Peaches. That...means a lot to me." More than Peaches could probably understand. By reluctant choice, Hatter was never truly 'real'. He could never be his true self, such as the man that now held Peaches close, but instead always danced through life in the facade of others. "You too, are much more than just a puzzle... I'm very glad I got the chance to meet with you like this."
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jan 27, 2008 11:56:50 GMT -5
It was nice to know that someone could understand her and not simply say she's out of her head. She purred from the stroking, the understanding, the warmth and a laundry list of other things. It was ultimately happiness that made her do it. Peaches decided that she would stay the entire night since he offered so kindly.
"I'm glad you were the Perfect Stranger and not a stranger anymore. It's nice to have a real friend that you don't have to hide things from." She said as she snuggled with her eyes still closed.
How the hell did that happen? That never happened! Talk about a special man. She did have a question for him though. "So... um. I know Peaches is my real name, but yours isn't Hatter is it? I don't want to know your real name if you have another one--it's just a yes or no question. I don't want to ruin a perfect name for you, I just want to know if you gave it to yourself or your mother was a little gone in the head like mine."
She still had her eyes closed and was curled up rather nicely on top of him. She wasn't going to move unless he wanted her off.
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Post by Vyn on Jan 27, 2008 17:55:17 GMT -5
"It really is. I'm exceptionally glad to have met you this evening."
Hatter grinned happily, basking in the pleasure radiating from her purring. Such a sweet sound! He truly enjoyed her company and was more than pleased to have her staying the evening with him. As she piped up another question, Hatter shifted thoughtfully and peered up at the feline perched on top of him.
So Peaches really was her birth name? Very suiting, he thought, even if it was just a tad unusual. Not that he of all people had room to speak.
"Hatter is not my real name." He said with a decided nod, thankful that she hadn't asked for his birth name as well. Yes, he could truly appreciate company likes Peaches. "I got it with my first hat, actually." He grinned slightly, remembering the evening he had first adopted the pet name. "My Daphne - the woman who raised me - actually gave it to me. Gone in the head she might have been, but it was a perfect name for you even then."
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