Kidling!Cal. (open)

[emocaliban]

Caliban is sitting on the steps, frowning at his feet, determined not to cry. Niko doesn't cry, so he's not going to

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[crimson_sugar]

Not far from wee!Cal, a little girl with messy red hair will be crying softly.

She doesn't know where she is. She doesn't know where the Missus is. She's afraid she'll come and find her, and take her back to London, after she beat her senseless.

She's just holding her knees, and shivering in fear.

[emocaliban]

Caliban looks up and blinks at her, then stands up and goes over. "Hey, what's the matter?" He asks, awkwardly, scuffing his feet. "There isn't n - there isn't anything to cry about."

[crimson_sugar]

She wraps her arms around herself more tightly, and bites her lip. What if he's one of the boys from the brothel? She looks at him. He looks like he could be one - not well fed - and already grown up.

"I'm afraid."

[emocaliban]

He sits down next to her. "What're you afraid of?"

[crimson_sugar]

She shivers. He doesn't sound like he's from London. That's reassuring.

"The Missus. I'm afraid she'll come."

[emocaliban]

"Oh." He doesn't ask who she is. He doesn't want Sophia here. "'F she does," he says bravely, "I'll distract her so you can get away."

[crimson_sugar]

She looks at him, then. "Why?"

[emocaliban]

A blink.

"You're scared of her, I don't want you getting hurt or something."

It seems simple to him!

[crimson_sugar]

It's not to her! She's never been protected by anyone!

"Aye, but why?" Her accent is much more cockney-ish than as her 19 year-old self.

[emocaliban]

He looks more baffled. "Why don't I want you to get hurt?"

[crimson_sugar]

She pulls her arms around herself, and mutters, "No one cares." And she shrugs and holds herself tighter.

[emocaliban]

He scowls a little. "I care," defiantly.

[crimson_sugar]

And again, the same question, miserably asked. "But why?"

[emocaliban]

He flails for a while. "Because - because-"

"Because it's what Niko would do?" He tries.

He's not sure himself.

[crimson_sugar]

She looks up. Frowns. "Who is Niko?"

[emocaliban]

"He's my big brother."