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]

[It's actually comforting that he doesn't need to let go, and by the time Sho's found their secluded little place he actually seems to be somewhat more settled, stoic expression giving way every so often to a flash of curiosity as he looks around, feeling safe now.

He sits as well, taking the place from Sho and setting it on the table and pausing before giving the other man a look between confused and hopeful.]

...Why?

[urnotafraid]

[ There were a lot of answers to that and Sho takes a moment to think them through. He didn't want to sound too mushy or crazy and scare the kid off, but he also didn't want to explain Kei either. ]

I know what's it like, being scared and alone.

[corruptedsouls]

[There's a lengthy pause, Tobias looking at his food and -- for once -- not pouncing on it.]

I'm not human.

[urnotafraid]

So? [ He just looks over at Tobias, shrugging slightly. ]

A person is a person no matter what race you come from.

[corruptedsouls]

What if that person is a monster?

[urnotafraid]

I grew up on the streets where the nicest thing that could have happened to me was getting ran over by a car or starve to death. The worse things that could've happened to me was the stuff other humans could do to me. So long as you aren't hurting anyone, I don't care what you are.

[ It was almost the same kind of speech he gave Kei, although with the vampire there had been more of a mutual background to start from. Sho sighed softly, leaning back against the tree and stretching his legs out. ]

Humans can be monsters. We all have our good points and our bad points, the only difference being how we live our lives.

[corruptedsouls]

...

[He just can't help it. Tears begin to fall from Tobias' eyes again and he turns, burying his face into whatever part of Sho's body he can reach. His body is trembling again, but it's not from fear this time -- relief, perhaps, that for the first time in years, there's someone he can touch without being turned away.]

Thank you...

[urnotafraid]

Hey... [ Sho has to shift the plates so they don't get spilled but then he is gently pulling Tobias close, letting him cry all over his side. ]

Hey, it's okay. Let it all out. I won't turn you away.

[corruptedsouls]

Thank you... thank you...

[The young boy's voice is rising as his cries get a bit more frenzied, the built up emotions over years just coming crashing down in a wave as he clings, shaking so hard it's like a leaf in a tornado. It's all he can do to keep breathing during this fit.

After a while, however, he finally begins to calm down, the violent sobbing being slowly replaced by almost adorable-level hiccups as Tobias rides out the last of it, sniffling heavily and letting his grip relax on Sho's clothing.]

[urnotafraid]

[ Sho just lets him cry, humming a tune while he did so and rubbing his back until the crying comes to a slow stop. He then took one of the napkins that he had picked up and got a corner of it wet before turning a little and wiping at his tear-streaked face. ]

You okay?

[corruptedsouls]

[He nods a little, half-closing an eye at the drying of his face. Not in an unpleasant way, though the odd, familiar feeling of it almost brings tears up again -- and would have, if he had anything left to cry with.

Of course, that off his chest, there's only one thing really in the front of his mind.]

Hungry.

[urnotafraid]

[ Nodding at the reply, Sho put the used napkin aside. ]

I bet you are. Go ahead and eat up. There's plenty more where that came from but don't over do it. You don't want a tummy ache.

[corruptedsouls]

Okay.

[...You might want to clarify that a bit, Sho. Because Tobias is tearing into his plate like a pack of starving wolves.]

[urnotafraid]

[ Well... What can he say? Sho was a street rat, although his brother would cuff him on the head about eating like a damn dog sometimes. ]

Easy, easy, take a deep breath between bites.

[corruptedsouls]

[That's a good start. Tobias obeys the command, pausing in between wolfing things down to actually breathe a couple times. This... turns out to be fairly helpful, as it does eventually cause him to naturally slow down as his body is given a chance to register that it's full.

Meaning he's actually able to stop before eating himself sick for once.]

...Sho...?

[urnotafraid]

[ That was a good start. Maybe next time, he'll show Tobias how to use his utensils a bit better. ]

Yeah Tobias?

[corruptedsouls]

I like your name. It's pretty.

[That's... kind of a strange thing to say, but...]

[urnotafraid]

Oh... Thanks. [ Yeah, it was weird. He'll grin it off anyways because weirdness is relative. ] Your's pretty neat too.

[corruptedsouls]

I hate it.

[urnotafraid]

Why's that?

[corruptedsouls]

Because it's my name.

[urnotafraid]

Ah... I think I understand that.

[corruptedsouls]

...You do?

[urnotafraid]

People changed their names a lot in Mallepa, some to get away from people, some because they can't stand who their names connected them with. Your name is what you associate with a monster, right?

[corruptedsouls]

[He nods a bit slowly. Yeah, that's about it.]