Weekend Guest (Open to hell_aint_ready and kings_boy11)

[unhappyhellgod]

"And this is your room," Circe pushed open the door to a large room decorated in reds -- not the garish reds of fire trucks or ferraris, but deep inviting reds. Contained within it was everything a boy Ryan's age could want. Books, DVDs, Video games...you name it, it was there

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[boyking]

The flinch at the unfamiliar man's voice was almost instinctive, as was the quick size-up of the room to figure out which was the farthest part away from him. It took Ryan several dizzy seconds to control himself and actually turn to look at the man, rather than just acting on impulse, and by that time he'd already situated Circe and Cerberus between himself and the door.

Hoping desperately that whoever this was - although it could really only be Azrael, Balthzar or John...though at that point 'Ruby' didn't seem too ridiculous an idea - wasn't offended, Ryan forced another one of those ghostly smiles.

Which threatened to melt quickly into a series of highly impolite sobs the second Circe opened her arms. Biting his lip so hard it drew blood to keep the tears at bay - again - Ryan slowly dropped his backpack (on the floor, by the bed, out of the way) and barely managed to keep from running to her. The effort to control himself made the steps robotic, stilted.

But he didn't make any tries when he wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his face in her shoulder, clinging the way she'd let him before, never thinking, not for a single second, that she was anything less (or more) than someone he trusted.

[hell_aint_ready]

John stepped out into the hall for a moment, leaving the door open. He summoned the first servant that he saw.

"The mistress is going to require three big chocolate sundaes, extra hot fudge, okay? Now go and get that -- scoot."

The priestly servant sighed, rolled his eyes, and headed off toward the portal to the kitchen. He was one of the humans, so it was fair to assume that he knew how to make a good sundae.

The kid hadn't been eating, that much he knew -- but if he could get Circe to go along and eat her sundae too, it'd at least get something inside him, empty calories or no, and ice cream was a good first step in building trust with a kid. He'd eat his sitting on the floor by the door and give the boy some space until he was ready.

John wanted nothing more at this moment than to go out to the Fields and give the kid's father a talking to -- but that could wait. Revenge on Ryan's behalf was much less important than Ryan feeling comfortable now.

He sank down to the floor, knowing he'd be much less imposing with his full height masked, and waited.

[unhappyhellgod]

Circe hugged him back tightly -- but not so tight that he would feel threatened. She just wanted him to know that she was there. And that she would be there for as long as he needed.

"Shhh...it's okay, honey. You're safe now. I'm here..."

Over his sobs, she could still hear John in the background and it brought a small smile to her face. Ice cream did sound good about now. And he once had two sons of his own so he had to know a thing or two. Right?

She sure hoped so.

[boyking]

Okay, now this was getting ridiculous. He'd promised himself he WOULDN'T cry. After all, he was happy to be there and he knew he was gonna have fun. But the abrupt collision of the safety he felt in Circe's arms and the aching reminder that it was her and not his mom holding him was too much.

After a couple minutes of almost silent sobbing, Ryan pulled away abruptly, wiping his eyes and turning off the tears like you'd turn off a faucet - just as quickly, and with just as little effort. In fact, it was a little disturbing that a child knew how to control tears like that.

"M'sorry," the boy mumbled, reaching forward and absently rubbing at the tearstains on her shoulder, as if his touch alone could make them disappear. "Won't do that again."

Then, with an automatic glance at the door, he blinked once or twice in surprised, asking, "Where'd the guy go?"

[hell_aint_ready]

John stepped inside, smiling gently at the kid. "Just arranging for one of the fellas to bring up a little snack while you get settled. I hope you like ice cream, kid, because me -- I'm a big advocate for the afternoon sundae."

He kept back, letting the kid take the measure of him while still smiling gently. He'd been around skittish horses more than skittish children -- or children at all other than his own and little Joanna, for that matter -- and just hoped that the same principles applied.

Angry, bitchy kids he could do. Kids scared of the boogeyman or of a demon, yeah. But kids actually scared of him, that was a little new.

[unhappyhellgod]

"It's okay..." Circe looked at him as he wiped his tears away. "You're allowed to cry." Crying was healthy...or so she had been told. Ryan shouldn't feel guilty about it. And yet...

Every moment she spent with the boy made her want to hurt his father more.

As he asked where John went, Circe turned as well, only to see him coming back through the doorway. Apparently he was already on top of things. And while ice cream was hardly the four course meal she had been invisioning for Ryan's first night, it was something the boy might actually eat.

Hopefully.

"Sundaes sound wonderful."

[boyking]

The mention of food - namely sundaes, which he's honestly only had a couple times - made Ryan's stomach growl, reminding him that he hadn't eaten anything more than a single piece of toast in four days and that this was unacceptable. With a slight frown, he crossed both arms over himself, saying in a soft voice, "You don't have to, I'm okay..."

Pausing momentarily to size up the man - he'd almost entirely decided that this wasn't Ruby - Ryan made sure there weren't any lingering, impolite tears. What Circe had told him was familiar - his mom had reassured him of it a dozen times - but tears and punishment were still too closely entwined to allow any sort of relaxation about it.

So, in an effort to avoid both their half-concerned, half-protective faces, the boy turned and busied himself with looking around the room, trying to comprehend the fact that it had a fireplace. "Th-this is really nice..."