☾ 004 | video | day 464

[fuckingwolverine]

[Lilly, for the most part, has been staying in and around her Welcome House during her time in Asgard-- but once she heard that there were a lot of new people hanging around outside the palace, she couldn't not go and look for her family. And, happily, luck seems to have been in her favor, because she's greeting the network today looking absolutely thrilled. There's an older girl of about eight or nine sitting next to her, looking a little unsure about this whole thing.

Lilly speaks first, sounding just as happy and triumphant as she looks:]

Victoria! Sister!

[After a few seconds of silence, she nudges Victoria impatiently. They look at each other, and seem to have a little conversation with facial expressions alone-- Victoria raises her eyebrows, and Lilly frowns and nudges her again. Finally, Victoria bites her lower lip and speaks. She doesn't seem to have the serious aversion to talking that Lilly does, but in some ways, she's actually the more shy of the two.]

... Hi. Can everyone really see me?

[Like the other visitors, she has a bracelet of her own visible on her wrist, but hasn't used it yet. She self-consciously pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose before continuing.]

I'm going to take Lilly and let her stay in my tent with me. Is that okay? Her room is really smelly.

[She glances back at her sister, and they have another few moments of nonverbal communication before Victoria turns back to the bracelet display.]

That's all. I'm going to turn this off now. Bye.

[And she does.]

[OOC: Replies will come either from Lilly, Victoria, or-- most likely-- both of them at once in the same comment!]

Comments

[felttheburn]

[ Kieran huffs through his nose and smiles faintly, waving back to Lilly in the background. ]

Yeah, you could say that. I've cleaned up her shit a few times too... any chance big sis could convince her to use the toilet?

[victoriastayed]

I can try. They taught her at home, but she forgets. She doesn't know why it's important.

[felttheburn]

She ain't big on baths or vegetables, either.

[ He glances at background-Lilly, then lowers his voice so hopefully only Victoria can hear. ] Has anyone told you how visiting works here?

[victoriastayed]

I don't get to stay.

And she doesn't get to come home.

[felttheburn]

Right.

You seem like a smart kid, so you must know your sister's too little mind herself.

[victoriastayed]

People here take care of her, right?

[felttheburn]

We try. Kid only lets me do so much, she says your mama wouldn't like it.

Has anyone told you there's a f--[ children, kieran, children ] war on?

[victoriastayed]

Mama isn't here.

[Which... isn't entirely a bad thing, in Victoria's mind.]

Is Lilly going to fight?

[felttheburn]

[ Kieran would agree, based on the creepy as fuck amorphous black blob that seems to be "mama" to Lilly. But... ] No. Thing is she keeps sayin' Mama will come for her. I need you to say that she won't, so we can take care of her. So that she lets us.

She's not going to fight.

[victoriastayed]

If Mama comes...

[Now Lilly's listening, still in the background-- she's watching Victoria closely.]

... you have to be careful.

[felttheburn]

...why?

[ He's not actually worried about Mama showing up, or being able to protect himself if she does. Really he just wants Lilly to come out of her fucking room and keep clean and trust someone. What if they have to evacuate the city?

But worrying about the kid doesn't make him any less curious. ]

[victoriastayed]

Because Mama gets jealous.

[Lilly's frown is deeper now. She elbows Victoria, and shakes her head.]

[felttheburn]

[ This is messed up and going the opposite of how he wanted, since Lilly hears them. Sigh. ]

But wouldn't Mama want Lilly taken care of while she's away? Then it would be alright.

[victoriastayed]

She doesn't--

[But she cuts herself off, because Lilly's smacking at her arm pretty insistently now, trying to get her attention and make her stop talking.]

Lilly, stop it.

[felttheburn]

[ Kieran just watches them, not wanting to make it worse. He might have to accept that Victoria is too young to take the hint and tell her sister what's best for her. But right now mostly he's thinking, What the fuck happened to these kids? ]

[victoriastayed]

Can I talk to you when she's asleep?

[It worked out okay with that other woman Lilly knew. For now, Victoria's just going to ignore the stink eye Lilly's giving her.]

[felttheburn]

Yeah. That'll work.

[ He waves at Lilly again, trying to pause the stink eye. ] You fed your sister yet? Bring her to the diner next.

1/2

[victoriastayed]

... I gotta go.

[Because Lilly is mad at her, and she has to fix this. The sisters don't fight often, but they're so close that when they do, it's practically torture for them.

With a little fumbling, Victoria figures out how to shut the bracelet display down, and does so.]

[victoriastayed]

[But later-- hours later-- she contacts him again. She's using her own bracelet this time. It took some time to figure it out, but she managed.]

Are you still there?

[felttheburn]

[ His end of the feed switches on as he answers, nodding. He's wearing a different shirt and his hair is down, but he was obviously still awake. ]

Everything okay?

[victoriastayed]

Yeah.

... I can write if you want. I can read here.

[She sounds noticeably surprised about this.]

[felttheburn]

Asgard does that, and makes languages so we can all understand each other. Do you think talking will wake her up? I hate typing.

[victoriastayed]

No. I walked away from our tent. And she tried so long to stay up that she was really, really tired when she fell asleep.

[felttheburn]

[ Then he'd rather talk. Kieran pushes his hair out of his face and huffs, trying to figure out how to put this situation for a kid. ]

Look. Victoria. I was hoping you'd tell your sister it's okay for other people to take care of her. This place can be dangerous, being fed isn't enough. She doesn't wash on her own, she doesn't clean her room, and won't always let me into her room to help because of Mama.

You understand?

[victoriastayed]

I know.

I don't think she wants to get too close to anyone. In case Mama comes.