"It's alright, Credence," she promises him, leaning back only enough so she can put her hand on his cheek and make him look at her. "I'm forgiving you for it because I know that's not who you are entirely, it was just a part of you, alright?"
It doesn't feel at all like progress, not really, so she just takes his hand and leads him farther in to her ship.
She sits him down, them goes to start making him tea. Thanks to Alfie tea has become sort of a thing of comfort for her, so it only makes sense to pass that along. When she comes back it's with two cups, the pot, and a little plate of cookies she had taken from the cafeteria this afternoon.
"I haven't read your file," she says as she sits down with him. "I don't plan to, either."
Once whatever is happening with the Barge is over she'll ask him if he wants it, but right now she doesn't really think she'll get an answer he honestly means.
"How do you feel about this, Credence?" She asks him, but it still feels just as- not pointless, but ineffectual. "We were temporarily paired, but this is much different."
Everything is fine, right now; if he was his normal self he might be able
to summon up some actual enthusiasm, but right now that feels like a leap
too far.
She has no idea what to do with this version of him, this Credence who seems to be just a shell of himself, so she decides all she can do is give him this tea, some food, and then send him on his way. They can try again after whatever is happening and maybe then make some progress.
So they sit in relative quiet and comfort with their tea, but eventually-
"Did you ever bring Jesse your belt like that?" She asks him, can't help wanting to know.
"Alright, well- let's promise each other something, okay? I don't think you will,"
She just has to get that out there first, and she reaches out to put her hand over his and hopefully drive it home, her faith in him.
"But if you ever do do anything that makes you think you should be punished, come to me first and we'll figure that out together. No more taking people things to hurt you with."
She's absolutely right, of course. Just because he has the right doesn't
mean he's interested in exercising it, and absolutely not in the state
that the flood has left him in.
She nods, and she gives him a quick smile, but it still feels a lot like talking to a brick wall, or a puppet of Credence that's had the soul sucked out. It's- odd, and uncomfortable, but more than anything it just makes her wonder if this is how he would have turned out if he had stayed under the influence of his mother any longer.
"So- tell me something good that's happened to you since you came here. Anything, even if it's small."
The normal, flood-unaffected Credence might hesitate over this. As
grateful as he is for his friends, he doesn't really understand what
they're getting out of their friendship. Still can't quite believe they'd
appreciate it for its own sake.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2017-07-19 04:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-07-19 05:36 pm (UTC)"Alright."
He'll agree to anything she says, because right now, she's wrong - that part of him is completely absent.
no subject
Date: 2017-07-19 06:41 pm (UTC)She sits him down, them goes to start making him tea. Thanks to Alfie tea has become sort of a thing of comfort for her, so it only makes sense to pass that along. When she comes back it's with two cups, the pot, and a little plate of cookies she had taken from the cafeteria this afternoon.
"I haven't read your file," she says as she sits down with him. "I don't plan to, either."
Once whatever is happening with the Barge is over she'll ask him if he wants it, but right now she doesn't really think she'll get an answer he honestly means.
no subject
Date: 2017-07-19 07:02 pm (UTC)He nods, uncertainly, and only sits down when it becomes clear that it'll be awkward and stupid for him to remain standing.
"Yes, ma'am."
no subject
Date: 2017-07-20 12:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-07-20 02:19 pm (UTC)"It's fine, ma'am."
Everything is fine, right now; if he was his normal self he might be able to summon up some actual enthusiasm, but right now that feels like a leap too far.
no subject
Date: 2017-07-24 04:11 pm (UTC)So they sit in relative quiet and comfort with their tea, but eventually-
"Did you ever bring Jesse your belt like that?" She asks him, can't help wanting to know.
no subject
Date: 2017-07-24 04:15 pm (UTC)He looks up, surprised, his eyes not quite meeting hers.
"Oh - no, miss, never. I n-never talked to Jesse like that."
no subject
Date: 2017-07-24 06:01 pm (UTC)She just has to get that out there first, and she reaches out to put her hand over his and hopefully drive it home, her faith in him.
"But if you ever do do anything that makes you think you should be punished, come to me first and we'll figure that out together. No more taking people things to hurt you with."
no subject
Date: 2017-07-24 06:06 pm (UTC)The touch to his hand gets a startled blink, but he doesn't flinch or pull away, just stays stock-still.
"Of course I'll come to you. You're my warden."
And nobody else has the right to beat him for misbehavior.
no subject
Date: 2017-07-24 06:45 pm (UTC)"And if anyone does try to hurt you, you have every right to defend yourself."
Not that she thinks he will in this state, or possibly ever, but maybe if she says it often enough he'll start to believe it.
no subject
Date: 2017-07-24 07:40 pm (UTC)"Yes, miss. I understand."
She's absolutely right, of course. Just because he has the right doesn't mean he's interested in exercising it, and absolutely not in the state that the flood has left him in.
no subject
Date: 2017-07-30 03:27 am (UTC)She nods, and she gives him a quick smile, but it still feels a lot like talking to a brick wall, or a puppet of Credence that's had the soul sucked out. It's- odd, and uncomfortable, but more than anything it just makes her wonder if this is how he would have turned out if he had stayed under the influence of his mother any longer.
"So- tell me something good that's happened to you since you came here. Anything, even if it's small."
no subject
Date: 2017-07-30 09:44 am (UTC)Credence hesitates, but he doesn't really need to reach very far for an answer.
"I've made some friends, miss."
no subject
Date: 2017-07-31 11:12 am (UTC)"Friends that you can trust to help you while you're here?"
no subject
Date: 2017-07-31 01:26 pm (UTC)The normal, flood-unaffected Credence might hesitate over this. As grateful as he is for his friends, he doesn't really understand what they're getting out of their friendship. Still can't quite believe they'd appreciate it for its own sake.
But this one is more credulous.
"Yes, miss."