The Inspection

[acciomod]

On the whole, the weather had been temperamental lately. One minute, it was absolutely bucketing it down, and the next, it was bright sunshine. The amount of rain had turned the ground into a muddy mess, but at least the tents provided perfectly adequate shelter, and a gazebo had been erected over the community dining table to protect everyone from the elements.

Despite the temperamental weather, however, it had been fairly warm throughout the past two weeks, so the chill in the air during dinner that evening was particularly noticeable, even before the dark, hooded figure by the Ministry's representative's desk had been seen.

Nervously, the Ministry representative approached the table.

"I'm afraid we have a visitor," he said, addressing everyone at the table and hoping that anyone not there could hear him. "This is a Dementor, one of the Guards at Azkaban. It's a high security prison. He's just here to, well, ensure that a certain escaped criminal isn't hiding amongst you.

"I don't expect he'll be here for more than an half an hour, so do try not to worry too much. They can make people rather, well... uncomfortable."

Bowing his head slightly, he left the Outsiders to their meal.

[And so, a Dementor is lurking around the camp, just in case one of the Outsiders is secretly Sirius Black. They're known to sap the happiness out of the environment, and - in cases where there are true horrors in someone's past - cause traumatic memories to resurface.

The chilly, depressed feeling can be lifted by the deliciousness of chocolate, though the Outsiders will need to discover this on their own. Good thing there's dessert.]

Comments

[corruptedsouls]

[Yeah, he already thinks you're going to eat him, the teeth would not help.

At the question, he nods again, very slowly.]

[redcinemareel]

Well, at least you're honest. [The one redeeming trait right now...]

[corruptedsouls]

[Tobias turns his look to his feet, wrapping both arms around himself with a mumbled noise of nonsense.

Sorry, Grell, were you expecting something helpful? He can't really give you that.]

[redcinemareel]

[SIGHS. What has she gotten herself into.]

Have you eaten?

[corruptedsouls]

[What indeed?

He shakes his head no and fiddles with his shirt.]

[redcinemareel]

To the tables, then.

[That isn't a request.]

[corruptedsouls]

[He doesn't really understand orders, so he just sort of stares at her.]

[redcinemareel]

[MUST SHE DO EVERYTHING HERSELF?!

She goes behind him and guides him to the dining table, hands on his frail shoulders.]

We're going to do a thing called eating. You may have heard of it?

[corruptedsouls]

[He immediately locks up once more as Grell's hands fall on his far-too-boney-shoulders, barely able to draw in enough breath to whimper.

Just stand still and maybe the crazy lady won't touch him anymore...]

[redcinemareel]

[If he doesn't move, she's going to carry him.]

You're nothing but bones! You shouldn't be giving a skeleton a run for its money!

[corruptedsouls]

[G-Gwah, picked up! He's still as rigid as a statue, barely able to breathe now as he gives the woman a look of terror and sheer confusion.]

[redcinemareel]

[She easily carries him over to the table, which looks weird by everyone else. Gently, she plops him down and sits next to him. The food simply appears before them; a salad for herself, and sandwiches for Tobias. Good, it's a light meal.]

[corruptedsouls]

[He's a bit too dumbstruck to really do anything, but the sight of food has him almost cautiously poke it, as if he's afraid it's not real.

When it clearly is, he downs that thing so fast that even Grell might have a little trouble following it.]

1/2

[redcinemareel]

[Grell picks up her fork, but then gets startled when the boy sucks up his food. What even?!]

[redcinemareel]

SLOW DOWN! You'll make yourself sick!

[corruptedsouls]

[Aug yelling! Tobias immediately folds in on himself, guarding his head as if he expects Grell to break it open for the supposed "incident."

There's a choked whimper from him as well, crying all over again.]

[redcinemareel]

For the love of Fates, stop whimpering. The food won't go anywhere, and if you eat too fast you'll just waste it by being sick. [She pours him some juice.]

[corruptedsouls]

[...a little bit of blood trickles from his mouth. Did he bite his tongue?

He watches her pour the juice, though he seems way too hesitant to pick it up this time, looking between the glass and her.]

[redcinemareel]

[There's no way Grell could miss that shade of red. She uses a finger to lift up his chin, seeing the blood there. She sighs softly, taking it back.]

I'm not going to hurt you, you know. If that were the case, I would have done so already. [She reaches into her coat and pulls out a handkerchief, using it to gently wipe away the blood.] Honestly, you're far too skittish! You'll never survive with a bit of backbone.

[corruptedsouls]

[He swallows but doesn't resist his head being angled, finally managing to meet her eyes with the similarly-shaded ones he possessed. The feeling of the handkerchief causes tears to start again, but unlike every other time, these tears are silent and soft, something twisted from his heart by a memory long ago forgotten.

He looks down, shame passing across his face as he examines his hands carefully, turning them over in his lap.]

...don't want to...

[redcinemareel]

Hmm? Don't want to what? [She wipes away those tears as well.]

[corruptedsouls]

[The gentleness only causes more to fall.]

...survive...

[redcinemareel]

We all survive in this life. Humans most of all. You're not the only one doing it.

[She takes one of his hands gently and places the handkerchief in it.]

You'll have to learn to wipe your own tears, like the rest of us.

[corruptedsouls]

[He looks at it dumbfoundedly in his hands, but her voice causes a pang deep inside, and he tries to hand it back to her.]

...not a human...

[redcinemareel]

Neither am I. [And she returns to her salad, munching on a ripe, red tomato.]