wickedchouette | (no subject)

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[When the car radiator overheats for the third time in a week, Alfie takes it as a sign that it's finally time for more than just another quick tune-up.

They're in a deserted area, which is both good and bad. On the one hand, most of the dangerous gangs are still in urban areas, the way they had been before the world had gone to shit. Out here in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by miles and miles of fields with only the occasional small copse of trees, they're not likely to run into anyone at all, much less anyone dangerous. But on the other hand, if they do come across anyone, there won't be anywhere to run to or hide. Alfie, as always, has his pistol tucked into his coat pocket, and they have more weapons stashed away in the trunk. But they're a small group - no match for the bigger gangs with armored trucks and heavy artillery. If they meet one of those, they'll be slaughtered.

With his sleeves rolled up and the hood of the car open, he leans in with his tools, carefully tinkering away. He can't afford to make a mistake here - replacement parts are rare and precious. When he hears footsteps behind him, he doesn't dare look away from his work as he says sharply:]

Stay back. You don't want hot steam to the face.

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You saw a lot of awful things, today.

[He threads his fingers through her hair.]

It's all right to be scared and upset.

[ And now she hides her face. Her voice is quiet and muffled: ] ... They said a lot of things about where they were taking me.

[She'll feel his heartbeat quicken at that, and he tries not to stiffen in anger.]

Do you wanna tell me about it?

[ She gets scrunched up and upset about it. ] I - do I have to? [ She didn't understand a lot of it, but she knew enough to make assumptions and guesses. ]

You do not. No.

[He smooths a thumb over her cheek.]

You do what feels right, Mercy.

Okay, because I really... I really don't wanna. [ Mostly, she has questions she doesn't want to ask Alfie or Royce. She figures they'll just have to go unanswered, for now, which she's fine with. Maybe she'll magically figure them out when she's older.

Here's something that's been bugging her, though: ] Why - um. Why did you tell them I'm a half elf?

[ Her voice gets very small. ]

[Well, that's a question he'd expected. He'd just thought it would come from Royce - and a bit more angrily, at that.]

I wanted them to see you as valuable, yeah? Not somebody to be sold.

[Or killed.]

I hoped they'd decide to keep you to work for them, so you'd be safe until we got to you.

Oh. [ That's actually very reasonable, and she sounds surprised. Relieved, too. ] They talked about that, too. [ But it wasn't in the context of keeping her to work for them. Mostly, it was about the price they planned on demanding. ] The man with the gun said he didn't believe you 'cause I don't have pointy ears.

If--

[His breath catches. This isn't something he wants to even think about, but it's important.]

If anything like this happens again, find a way to prove it to them.

Okay. [ She says it slowly, like she's not sure why it's so important. She looks at him, expression confused, but she won't argue. ] I will. I can - I can tell them what thing say from far away. Or hear them talking when they don't think I can hear them.

Dad says not to tell anybody, though.

You know how useful you and your dad's eyes and ears are to us, yeah?

If you are ever taken, I want them to think you'll be useful to them, too. It'll make them keep you safe, healthy, and fed until you can escape or we can rescue you. Understand?

[ Right. Right, clearly laid out and almost like an order makes her understand, and she nods. It might be hard to go against her nature to keep things like this a secret, but after tonight? She's willing to do whatever it takes to avoid ending up where the bad guys talked about. ]

I was going to try to escape. [ Mercy says stubbornly. ] I got that guy. I sss-- I stabbed him right in the arm when he grabbed me! I was gonna bite that guy, too, but the one... he said he was gonna sh-shoot you.

[ Deep breath. ]

Come here.

[He pulls her a little closer against his chest.]

Your dad was right - you helped to save yourself. And we're so proud of you, yeah? The both of us.

[ She goes willingly, closing her eyes. To be honest, she's a little proud of herself. She smiles a bit, and he might be able to feel it with her face pressed against his neck. ] I'm glad. Um, thank you.

[ She thinks that's the right thing to say? Her dad is not the pinnacle of sociable behavior, so she's lacking in this department. ] Hey, um. Alfie?

[She is such a beautiful soul.]

Yeah?

[ She scoots back again and takes his face in her hands, looking firm. Like he did to her, earlier. She wrinkles her nose because beard. ]

Are you okay? [ She purses her lips a little. ] You and Daddy don't like to talk to me about stuff sometimes because I'm little. Littler. But you should talk to me if you're sad, okay? Promise.

[It's true. As much as he wants to encourage her to deal with her emotions in a healthy way, he doesn't want to go too far and make her feel like his problems should sit on her shoulders. She's only seven, and god knows the world gives her enough to deal with.]

I was scared for you.

[All-consumingly terrified, even.]

And after - it brought up bad memories.

[ She deals, the best way she can. Mercy knows Royce and Alfie don't talk about their feelings to each other, so she does what she thinks her mom might have. Tries to stand in, even a little bit. ]

Like... like from before? [ Mercy asks carefully. She doesn't remember well enough personally, but she knows Alfie lost a lot. ]

Yeah.

[He tries to keep his voice from cracking. Really, he does. It just doesn't quite work.]

My littlest niece was just a year younger than you. You used to crawl around on the floor together. She would have been a good friend to you.

[But instead Alfie had found her broken body, lying under the rubble of her house.]

[ Mercy frowns, very solemn. ]

I'm sorry. [ She says in a hushed voice. ] I think we would've been very good friends. [ For a moment, she searches for what to say, but she's only seven - she doesn't have any wisdom or anything she can give him, so she just swallows hard and hugs him again. ] I'm gonna try really hard to live extra good for her, okay? Is that okay?

[Oh no, his eyes are watering up again. Still carrying her, he turns, taking her back to the car.]

It's a lovely idea.

Okay. I'll do that, then. [ Mercy says, resting her head on his shoulder. She lets him take her wherever, starting to feel worn out again. She's had a day. She makes sure to add (so he knows she's absolutely serious): ] Pinky promise.

[He sets her down on the seat, then hooks his pinky through hers for a moment before climbing in himself. Pinky promises are very serious.]

[ Mercy smiles, pleased, when he indulges her with the pinky promise, and then crawls in to scoot over to the part of the seat that's pushed down, with blankets and pillows. She's got her own little nest, and she makes grabby hands for Alfie.

Royce appears to be dozing sitting up in the passenger's seat, eyes closed, hood up, arms folded across his chest. He hums an inquisitive noise, though, when Alfie climbs in. All good? ]

Yeah.

[He sets about making sure Mercy is nicely tucked in, and making sure there's room on her other side for Royce if he wants to join them in the back again. Then he settles down himself, shifting close enough for Mercy to grab on to him. He wraps an arm around her, as comfort for the both of them. He thinks he might be able to sleep a little, as long as he knows that when he opens his eyes, she'll be there safe and sound.]

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