The bunny didn't remember much about her past life. She knew she had one, of course. That's why she was in a second hand shop...at least according to the little old teddy who sat next to her on the shelf, McGee. She didn't know why she didn't remember it, everyone else did. Clara, the old rag doll, used to belong to a little boy named Charlie. Tootles, the wooden train, belonged a small girl called Rosa. The bunny used to love to listen to their stories, stories of mischief and fun and love. Everyone else loved to have the bunny listen, and they would talk and talk for hours. Especially McGee, Clara said he had old person disease. The bunny thought that was a bit hypocritical, but she would never say so.
The bunny found, however, that there was one subject none of them would ever approach. They stayed far away, and if nodded in the direction would clam up immediately. No one would ever talk about how they got to the second hand shop.
That could be kind of annoying sometimes. What's the point of a story with no ending to it? She had asked McGee, one night, why the subject seemed such a taboo.
"Bunny, you're a sweet kid. Bit naive, but sweet." The bear had put a comforting arm just below the bunny's shoulder, even despite her short size it was the highest he could reach, "you don't want to know these things. The second hand shop...no one arrives here happily."
And that had been that.
There was another thing about the second hand shop the bunny had noticed. There were frequent new arrivals, books and toys riding in on the humans, and yet...
and yet no one seemed to leave.
That was another taboo subject. No one ever talked about the fact they were never getting out of there. They gave fake smiles, and made wavering wishes, and never talked.
Suffice to say, by the time two small, dark children rushed into the store one one rainy Saturday, the bunny had long lost hope of adventures.
When the hand had closed around the bunny, the bunny had been scared. She had never, to her knowledge, been picked up by a child before. Never even been touched. And yet she found herself melting into it as she was lifted high up, away from her friends. It felt...right. Just like her friends had said. Toys were made for children.
She found herself lifted up right to the face of the child. She stared into chocolate brown eyes, the same colour as herself, surrounded by skin almost as dark. An explosion of dark hair stuck out at every direction, so wild it brushed against the bunny even as she was held three inches from the child's face.
The child stared at her intently for a long time. The bunny began to get nervous. Why was the child here? What did it want?
And then it had smiled. And the bunny stopped caring.
That is, until it found itself stuffed into the dark, musky place under the child's jacket. That, the bunny couldn't help but feel, was not a place for bunnies.
She stayed there for only a few moments, though, before she was removed and put into the hands of the keeper, the man who handled the second hand store. That lasted only a few seconds, though, and...oh things were happening too fast. What was going on?
...
She was in a bag. A small, Brown, paper bag. It was tight, and air was short. If she had required oxygen to live, she probably would have been dead. She had been in there an awfully long time.
There were voices. The one, a female one, that had taken her out of the store. And another one, a deeper one (though barely). A male.
The bunny felt the paper bag rustle. This was it. She was being taken out. It was time.
"Hey Aaron..."
Aaron turned to his girlfriend (well...friend who was a girl. He was too young for this dating business. He, unlike Alex and Eliza, prided himself on being mature enough to understand that). She had trailed off mid sentence, and was now looking at him shyly. That was weird. The two children had known each other for years, Theodosia's mother and Aaron's grandmother (his legal guardian now his parents were dead) were close and the children had been having play dates all the time since they were born, despite the country gap.
Theodosia was holding out to him a small paper bag. It was identical to the one in which the children had their 'candy', which means it was likely she had gotten it from the small, dusty second hand shop they had visited and bought them from. Aaron wasn't a fan of the place, it was old and had little of value, but it held some sort of sentimental value for Theodosia. She liked old things.
When Aaron didn't take the bag, Theodosia's smile dropped.
"Come on Aaron, it's for you!"
Eyeing the bag wearily, Aaron took it.
"Open it." Theodosia prompted.
He did. Inside there lay a small, chocolate coloured bunny. It was old, stained and dusty, and it had a lighter patch on its stomach where it had been patched up before. It ears were long and floppy, with no stuffing reaching them. He stared at it.
"It's the same colour as you. That's why I got it." Theodosia whispered, like she was sharing a secret.
Aaron managed to look away from the small gift for the first time to look at her instead. "You mean...is it mine?"
Theodosia nodded enthusiastically, her wild hair flying wildly.
Aaron was rendered speechless. Finally he whispered.
"Thank you. I'll name it...Theodosia. After you."
Next thing he knew Theodosia was in his arms, and they were hugging. Aaron stiffened. He knew about cooties...but he also knew Theodosia. She didn't have them, he was sure.
And so they hugged. And for the first time, Aaron understood Theodosia's love of old things. And sentiment.
From between the two small bodies the bunny...no, Theodosia smiled.
Thanks for reading!
Well school and dance have officially started up again. Yay. I'll probably only be able to post on the weekends now, but I'll make sure I do it every weekend. I do have an esteddfod next weekend, but I'll probably have a day off afterwards so I'll see if I can rush a chapter in then. It will probably be small and humour based, sorry about that.
This was the Aaron and Theodosia one I promised. Next up- Alex and John.
I'm going to keep the answers to reviews that ask questions. To everyone else (John and Alex guest, HereComesTheGeneral, Pegs and Peggy) thank you all so much you're amazing and every review legitimately makes me smile and brightens my day. Thank you especially bluefrosty27 because you have reviewed almost every time I have posted and you're so nice!
Hetalian
Huh, you must be one of the lucky ones. Good luck with your NAPLAN! Thank you (again) for reviewing (again. You're amazing) and I hope to have a chapter based on the classes reaction to Theodosia soon! I'm not sure whether to make it sweet or funny though...
Aka Angelica
Thank you! Also, that's really interesting. Maybe American schooling makes more sense than I thought...especially if it's on par with Hogwarts.
Guest
Aw thanks. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about Les Mis yet. Emphasis on yet. Ive been planning to watch the movie for a while, and then listen to the musical after that. When I do, and if I find it interesting, then I'll definitely consider it. Thanks for the idea.
Upcoming: (Feel free to request relationships or ideas)
Something small for next week sorry
John and Alex centric
Orphan Verse Fic
Peggy and John centric
Spies Part 2
James Centric
Schuyler Sisters Centric
Blow Us All Away Part 2
