Adam had to look twice before he realised that the food was disappearing from the plate they had left off to one side for Shalimar. As he watched a face peered around the corner, focusing only on the food and snatched up a handful of pasta before withdrawing back behind the cover of the dividing wall. He motioned for the others to watch, chuckling to himself. They all looked on as the action was repeated. Moments later, the face reappeared, this time looking directly as them, catching them watching. There was a moment as they stayed like that, frozen in place. Seeing the decision to go set into Shalimar's eyes, Adam acted.
"Shalimar." He called. She wavered, on the edge of turning to go. "Shalimar, come sit with us." He outstretched a hand, beckoning her back towards them. She wavered again, not quite ready to stay and yet wanting to follow the softly voiced request. Her eyes met his and a clam fell over her as she turned, still limping lightly, back to the open place beside him. Balancing on the balls of her feet, she was not quite sat at the table, still a quick escape available to her, but it was close. Adam smiled widely and returned to his food. Shalimar's eyes widened as the plate she had been eating from was retrieved and placed in front of her and a fork was pressed into her right hand. She examined the tool for a moment before watching everyone else's actions and mimicking them to indelicately spear an unlucky victim from her plate and remove it with her teeth.
"See now, wasn't that easy." Adam smiled, resisting the urge to laugh out loud. And conversation resumed with Shalimar watching on, and listening attentively.
When dinner was finished and the plates collected Mutant X began to disperse. Seeing the others leaving, Shalimar stood uncertainly and skittered down the steps back towards the room she had been allocated. Adam met her in the hallway and she skidded to a stop warily. She shied away as he reached out a hand to her shoulder, then realised what she had done and froze in place. He stopped and took a step back, giving her space. Tentatively she reached out and took hold of his hand. Running the pad of her thumb lightly across his palm she found it smooth, soft. Her question answered. Shyly, she dropped the hand, smiling to herself. Adam stayed silent, curious.
He stuck out his hand again.
"My hand. Adam's hand." Taking her own in his he opened his hands as if showing her what was inside. "Shalimar's hand." She frowned at him, pulling her hand away. Her hand was not like his. Callused it had become, and decorated with line over line of scars. She wanted to tell him how soft his hand was. How rough her own. But to think the thoughts and form the words were two things that seemed worlds apart.
"What's wrong?" He asked, seeing her withdraw. She felt tears welling as her desperation mounted. The things she wanted to say, to know. All of them welled within her, beyond reach. To understand - only to understand. To listen to the Other's words was not enough anymore. The Soft Voice knew - he could teach her. If only she could understand.
"Oh Shalimar." Adam soothed as silent tears escaped her grasp. Folding his arms gently around her he held her as she wept - head buried in his shoulder.
"Sh-mar." She growled gruffly, pulling back from his embrace. She had to make him understand. "A-am Ad'm" She corrected, scowling. Why did it sound so different in her own mouth. But he was smiling, and laughing. And she didn't pull back, or try to run because for the first time the noise held no threat to her. And she began to understand.