A.B.A had run out of decent scraps that she could try and set out for the small mouse under her stove. Before the rodent could find somewhere else to eat she decided it best to go out and get more food, and maybe even a cage finally.
Imagine her surprise when she walked past the wall and looked up to see the unfamiliar young man sitting there. Something about him seemed very off to A.B.A, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. He looked just like all of the other humans she had come into contact with, though.
The girl's short attention span gave up on trying to figure it out, but she didn't continue moving. Instead, A.B.A reached out and poked a finger at the man's foot in order to gain his attention.
A.B.A's eyes flicked to the side where those fingers had began to curl. She couldn't help herself and went so far as to lean towards the touch. Affection was so rare to recieve from others. She would soak it up whenever it was given freely.
It was also easy for her tongue to be so loose when the man was showing her kindness. "A being called a Gear. From what I learned they are very dangerous creations. I am neither one of them or a human."
Such temptation, and what an invitation that was. Niall knew his touch was no longer addictive, even if she didn't call herself human it could still be. He could control it now, he felt that. But after so long of abstaining, it was difficult for him to indulge.
Still, he let his fingers slip passed her hair and instead trail along her cheek. "And what are you?"
One eye flinched closed, expecting the touch to turn cruel the moment fingers slid across skin. Maybe a slap or something worse. When there was nothing but more of fingers just exploring she opened her eye and stared at the man with those curious eyes.
"A homounculous." She frowned. "I am unsure what it means. I was never told. So, even I am a mystery to myself.
"I've not heard of one before," Niall answered honestly, fingers trailing back across her cheek and for the briefest of moments, her neck. He dropped his hand and slid it casually into his pockets, smiling at her.
"You look very human to me. Is that what you want to be?"
There was a small flicker of disappointment on A.B.A's features when that hand disappeared for good. It seemed the affection was over, but she would have to live with it. Humans did not always enjoy going on and on with such things. To this man she was a stranger anyway.
She looked back down to her own sleeve covered hands. "I am not sure. I have never really thought about it. I think more of what my companion should have than for myself."
The disappointment, not quite sadness, was a tease of copper on his tongue. She was a needy one, and Niall could understand why. He reminded himself it was harmless, that his touch wouldn't harm her. Otherwise he would never dare indulge himself.
He narrowed his eyes just slightly in contemplation before reaching out and touching her arm this time, feeling the fabric of the ill-fitting sweater. "Your companion?"
A.B.A hadn't thought there would be anymore touching, but when that hand was placed on her arm she perked up. Enough for a smile to tug at her lips again, though hidden since her head was bowed low. She didn't dare question why this man had decided to be so kind and gentle. If she did he might just stop.
"My husband. My weapon. He is both at the same time. I need to find a body for him." A.B.A wanted to reach up and touch the man's hand in return, but she was too afraid. So, she kept still while she spoke, "I can't do any of that while I am here. I can't do anything until I'm sent back."
The faintest taste of honey, so very tempting. Niall slid his hand down her arm and took her hand in his, thumb caressing the back of it. "We all have so much we left behind to be here. We can't do much but hope there's a purpose for it, or at least we'll get home soon. I imagine you miss your husband very much?"
"I do." A.B.A's eyes fell halfway at such a soft touch. She had never been on the recieving end of anything quite like it before. It was just as nice as the fingers through her hair had been. Maybe a little better.
"I wanted to give the mouse the same name as my husband. At least that way I could have him near me even when he isn't."
"You should. That's sweet." Niall brought her hand up, holding it with both of us and looking at her over the top of it. He wanted to kiss her hand, dainty but strong much like her, he mused. There was no way for him to know of course, they'd only just met. It was more a feeling he had, of the strength she had inside her, covered up by her insecurities.
He couldn't quite let himself kiss her hand. It was too indulgent, too much. Instead he rested he back of her hand against his cheek and smiled at her. "Am I keeping you? Your mouse might be waiting."
That's right. A.B.A had almost forgotten she was supposed to actually buy things for that very mouse. But, this stranger had caused her mind to steer off track like it always did. Instead, it curved to how wonderful all of the attention she recieved really was. Nothing else mattered.
"You are," she answered bluntly. "But, what you're doing feels nice." She let her fingers flex along his cheek, touching the skin there. "My husband can not show me such affection. Nor does anyone else care to." She did like to hug, but something about what the man was doing and such a simple thing was very different.
"People have a way of getting caught up in themselves, unable to get over their own fears and insecurities," he said. Likely anyone who would see how beautiful she was would never be able to get over the strange key she had through her head. To Niall, it only added to her beauty. And she did have a very nice figure, one he was looking over now before drawing his eyes up to her face again for a smile.
Niall's need to look at her in such a way did not go unnoticed by A.B.A, but she thought nothing of it. She simply figured the man was looking at the oversized sweater she was wearing. It was where his eyes had been looking until they had stopped at her legs.
She tried to smile in return, but it was weak at best. "Yes. I should not worry so much over a few human's thoughts and feelings. It helps that I have made friends." The smile leaves her face. "There are some days it will always hurt more than others, though."
"Take comfort in your friends," Niall suggested. With one hand he kept hers pressed to his cheek, and with the other he reached up to cup her cheek again. He could taste a near banquet now: copper, honey and lemon, a hint of cherry even. It was those baser emotions, fears and longing, that tasted so delicious to a dark faery. His eyes dropped to her lips, the urge to feed off her so, so tempting.
"They can help through difficult times," he whispered, not really paying attention to what he was saying now.
"You are right," she agreed. Much like before, A.B.A leaned towards those fingers in a way to urge them into staying right where they were. Since the stranger didn't seem to mind her touch either, she took it as an invitation to stroke a thumb along his cheek. Something she had seen other humans do to one another.
"Does that mean I should see you as such?" The question was spoken quieter than her earlier words. "You act like a friend. Is that what you are?"
Imagine her surprise when she walked past the wall and looked up to see the unfamiliar young man sitting there. Something about him seemed very off to A.B.A, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. He looked just like all of the other humans she had come into contact with, though.
The girl's short attention span gave up on trying to figure it out, but she didn't continue moving. Instead, A.B.A reached out and poked a finger at the man's foot in order to gain his attention.
"Hello."
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It was also easy for her tongue to be so loose when the man was showing her kindness. "A being called a Gear. From what I learned they are very dangerous creations. I am neither one of them or a human."
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Still, he let his fingers slip passed her hair and instead trail along her cheek. "And what are you?"
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"A homounculous." She frowned. "I am unsure what it means. I was never told. So, even I am a mystery to myself.
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"You look very human to me. Is that what you want to be?"
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She looked back down to her own sleeve covered hands. "I am not sure. I have never really thought about it. I think more of what my companion should have than for myself."
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He narrowed his eyes just slightly in contemplation before reaching out and touching her arm this time, feeling the fabric of the ill-fitting sweater. "Your companion?"
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"My husband. My weapon. He is both at the same time. I need to find a body for him." A.B.A wanted to reach up and touch the man's hand in return, but she was too afraid. So, she kept still while she spoke, "I can't do any of that while I am here. I can't do anything until I'm sent back."
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"I wanted to give the mouse the same name as my husband. At least that way I could have him near me even when he isn't."
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He couldn't quite let himself kiss her hand. It was too indulgent, too much. Instead he rested he back of her hand against his cheek and smiled at her. "Am I keeping you? Your mouse might be waiting."
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"You are," she answered bluntly. "But, what you're doing feels nice." She let her fingers flex along his cheek, touching the skin there. "My husband can not show me such affection. Nor does anyone else care to." She did like to hug, but something about what the man was doing and such a simple thing was very different.
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"It's not your fault if they do that."
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She tried to smile in return, but it was weak at best. "Yes. I should not worry so much over a few human's thoughts and feelings. It helps that I have made friends." The smile leaves her face. "There are some days it will always hurt more than others, though."
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"They can help through difficult times," he whispered, not really paying attention to what he was saying now.
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"Does that mean I should see you as such?" The question was spoken quieter than her earlier words. "You act like a friend. Is that what you are?"
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