Hey everyone~ it's been a while hasn't it? Sorry about the delay, I've been dealing with a monster case of writer's block that I just couldn't see to shake... but hopefully I should be back on the ball now, so if all goes well you all will be seeing more prompt updates on not only this story but the main others as well~
Well without further ado, hope you all read and enjoy~
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Returning to the bedroom carrying a tray laden with a pot of fresh tea, cups, biscuits and some sandwiches, which he thrown together from what he found laying around in his fridge and cupboards, just to find to his amusement that in the short time he had been gone the kid had curled up on the bed and fallen asleep.
Theo chuckled softly as he made his way across the room sliding the tray on the large desk in the corner of the room before going about adding another log to the fire and placing the teapot on the iron shelf over the flame in effort to keep the tea hot.
Turning back to face her sleeping form, he moved to cover her over with the blankets, pulling them over her small frame, gently brushing a few loose hairs out of her face. It felt good to have someone one who needed him once more, a feeling that had been absent for a good few centuries, ever since he had all but become obsolete within the reaper system. He just wanted to keep her safe, maybe it was a long repressed parenting instinct... shoved deep into his psyche from before he died, taking care of the son he never got to see grow up.
Mulling it over, he slipped of his outer robes and boots before laying down on the bed, on top of the covers, letting his hands rest on his stomach one on top of the other... closing his eyes.
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The girl started to stir a few hours later, her eyes flickering open staring sightlessly for several moments before she straightened herself out again, sitting up, yawning as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Once her vision cleared, she looked round for any sign of her mysterious guardian angel... finding him lying by her side, she smiled... well until she noticed something off... he wasn't breathing. Panic set in as she clambered over the blankets, shaking him "please don't be dead angel... come on Mr Theo please wake up..." she cried, getting more and more scared as each moment past... "Mr Theo... I need you..."
Theo awake slowing at the feeling someone was shaking his shoulders... just to be faced by the terrified face of the kid looking down at him "What's wrong, m'dear?" he asked sleepily, as he sat up... just to be pretty much dived upon, hugged tightly.
"You weren't breathing... I thought... you were d-d-dead..." she whimpered sobbingly, shaking like a leaf, as she gripped onto him desperately, "I was so scared..."
"Oh... my sweet little one..." he cooed softly, hugging her back "I was just asleep dear" he reassured gently stroking her hair "that is just what happens when I sleep, or should I say we sleep, we look, well honestly quite dead, but it's okay, it doesn't hurt either of us, it's just saves some energy so we can feel so much better when we awaken" he explained simply, all the while rocking and soothing her.
Despite looking around fifteen years old, the kid had the mind of a child, so he had to be so gentle with her, in what he said and the way he acted, which may be difficult with everything ahead.
She looked up at him "so you're okay?"
Theo nodded "I'm perfectly fine, sweetheart" he concurred with a gentle smile.
Hugging him tighter "I'm so glad... I like you Mr Theo... and I don't want anything bad to happen to you... not ever" she mumbled sweetly, burying her face in his clothing.
"I can hardly let anything happen when you need me, now could I?" he chuckled warmly, gently stroking her hair, lightly rocking her from side to side in a smooth movement.
"You are all I know in this place... please don't leave me my angel..." she whispered sleepily, nuzzling him slowly as she setted down to sleep, right there on his lap.
Holding her flush to his chest, he scooted down the bed, laying on his back and covering the both of them with the blankets, kissing her hair and closing his eyes.
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Slowly waking up just after the first light of dawn crept through the gaps in the curtains, Theo set about getting ready for the day, tentatively untangling sleeping girl from him, substituting a pillow for his body, and silently slipping out of the room. Plodding off into the bathroom, filling the craw footed bath, striping off and freshening himself up with a good scrub down and washing his hair.
Drying himself off, he wrapped a towel round his waist, as he used another to relieve the excess water out of his hair as he returned to his room, to retrieve some fresh clothing. He glanced over at is sleeping guest, a smile pulling at his lips as he observed how she cuddled up to the pillow... she was such a adorable little thing, that despite himself he seems to be falling defencelessly for her charms.
As he pulled on a pair of black slacks, a small giggle reached his ears from behind him... turning he found the previously sleeping female, sitting up, still hugging the pillow to her chest as she peered over the top of it at him.
"What you giggling at?" he demanded abruptly, no real sharpness to his voice as he teasingly frowned at her, causing her to squeak and dive under the covers. He chuckled softly to himself as he resumed his search for a shirt and socks.
"You are really pretty, angel" a small voice mused from within the sheets, a long lump settling in the covers, a pair of green eyes watching him from the opening she had created at the end of the bed...
Theo froze mid action, remaining bent over for a few moments before straightening up, looking over his shoulder at her, "Handsome, you mean little one..." he corrected thoughtfully but saying nothing more about it.
She giggled "okay... angel is very handsome~" she mused innocently before sliding out of her hidey hole, walking up behind him wrapping her arms round his back, resting her cheek just below his shoulder blade. "Angel..."
"Yes m'dear?" he asked softly
"You won't ever leave me, will you?"
A frown etched across his brow at her question "Why do you ask?"
"I think I could be okay... you know when they take me away... as long as I could visit you, Mr Theo... so you won't go away will you, angel?" she mumbled thoughtfully into his shoulder.
"Then I'll be right here waiting for you, I promise" he reassured, touching her hands "you know that if it was down to me, you wouldn't be going anywhere, right?"
"I know you want me to stay here with you... and I'd really like that... but I can't" she whispered giving him a light squeeze "but I'm happy I get to spend some time with you"
A genuine smile pulled at his lips... "I promise we'll have some fun before you leave okay~" he chuckled softly.
The girl circled round him to his front, hugging his waist "You are fun, Angel, just being with you is fun... I want to know more of you... and then when I find who I am, I can tell you too~" she giggled happily, smiling up at him.
"How can I say no when you put it so adorably~" he mused jovial, as he hugged her back
She squeezed him "Well I know one thing more already"
"What would that be, m'dear?"
"You're really squishy~" she giggled, poking his bare chest.
Theo chuckled as he shook his head "you really are a cheeky little being..." he countered, poking her nose gently with one of his long nails.
"Can I brush your hair, Angel?" she asked abruptly, unintentionally changing the subject.
He raised an pale eyebrow "Why do you want to brush my hair?"
"It's really pretty and soft... and super long..." she reeled off, reaching up and touching a piece of his silver mane "please... Mr Theo~" she added, giving him the best 'pretty please' expression she could muster.
"Since you asked so nicely..." he mused, moving over to the vanity cabinet in the corner, taking a seat on the cushion topped stool, giving her a few moment to follow him before holding out the brush, handle first for her to take.
Taking the brush with a goofy, happy smile, she started to run the bristles through his long silver hair, starting from the top and following the length of it, giggling softly to herself as she worked. Everything was going well until the fourth stroke, when she caught a knot, causing him hiss lightly at the sudden jolt, making her jump and drop the brush.
Realising that she hurt him, she throw her arms round his neck, hugging his head "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you" she whimpered sadly, scared that he was mad at her.
"It's okay, dearest, you just caught me off guard" he reassured, taking one of her hands in his, gently rubbing across her knuckles.
Rubbing her cheek on his "so you're not mad?"
"No, little one, I'm not angry" he concurred warmly, smiling reassuringly up at her "hand me the brush m'dear, I'll show you how to get rid of tricky knots"
Smiling back at him, she slipped the brush back into his hand and tentatively watched as he demonstrated how to ease the brush through knots, whilst holding the section of hair closer to the roots with his other hand. She took in every word and nodding enthusiastically along to show him that she was paying attention, putting it into practice as she went back to running the brush through his silver locks.