#beforearcane

[independentzaun]

Ran's tooth

Continued from Here with @bioniczaunites

The sight of Sevika... Large, big and scary to most, had a complete different meaning to the small child. Her tall height allowed them to see everything when she picked them up, her muscles made the hugs even warmer and her rough voice always lulled them to sleep.... Every adjective most people would consider scary or negative, were positive in Ran's book, so the sight of the talk last had them already feeling safe as she held them close, enveloped in her warm embrace, face buried on the crook of her neck as she spoke, sobs still not dying out as they watched her. "Omma.... I don't wanna get big! What if I loose the other teeth? I don't wanna..." They cried harder, tiny hand fisting the fabric of her shirt as their sobs now made it hard for the child to draw a breath.

Sevika did have a point when she said they wouldn't get bigger if they didn't eat. Ran and just turned 6 but they didn't look a day over five, maybe even four due to malnutrition. "B-but omma, how am I gonna eat if I don't have any teeth?" They asked, running their tear strained eyes as sobs still wracked their tiny frame. The food was half eaten, droplets of blood from when the tooth fell out on the wooden table. "You have to put it back, omma..." They asked, still sobbing.

Holding Ran close she let out a soft little comforting sound and hugged gently at Ran. “Awww well everyone gets bigger. Even if not quite as big as me, but that’s okay. Come on lets…” Suddenly something clicked in Sevika’s head as Ran continued to sob pleading for the tooth to be put back. Reaching out with a foot she tugged a chair out, and sat down still holding Ran to her.

“Ran, *child of my heart, you need to take a breath okay. Big breath in, with me okay? And then out. In...And out. Now listen. It’s alright, you want to know why?” Waiting for a moment Sevika smiled reaching to stroke at Ran’s hair. “Because you get new teeth. I can’t put the old tooth back because you are going to be growing out a new one that’s stronger, and tougher and lasts longer. To get the new one though your mouth had to get rid of the old one for a little while. Just a little while though that’s all.” Patting at Ran’s back she nodded. “It just means you are healthy is all.” A playful little smile came to Sevika. “And if you didn’t have any teeth I’d just learn how to cook all the best soups. So you’d still have to eat anyways.”

*noxian word translated

[independentzaun]

Ran still didn't understand a lot of things. They didn't understand why they didn't get to see their mother anymore, but one thing they knew.... Omma was nicer, omma didn't shove or yell at them. They liked omma.

So when their tiny cries echoed through the house, the first person they searched for was Sevika. Their small face was tear strained as they held something in their hand, sobs still wrecking through their tiny frame. "Omm! Omma!" They sobbed, lifting their hands up at the sight of the women, wanting to be picked up. "Omma my tooth fell off! I was eating and it fell off! Put it back, omma please!!" They begged, showing them the small tooth in their hands. ((Tiny 6 yo Ran yes? No?))

Trusting Ran to be able to eat their lunch by themselves Sevika had been in the small room that now served as a combination office/den/exercise room/weapons cache since the other room she’d use to put some of that into was taken up by Ran. Not that she ever considered holding that against the small child at all. Eventually she’d make enough money to get a bigger place, but until then this was more than enough. Flipping through some maps to plot a smuggling course she’d been distracted for a moment when the first cry sounded out, but quickly the crying caught her attention and she turned to step out of her office.

“Ran? Ran are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?” Seeing their lil tiny hands raising up Sevika couldn’t help a faint smile as she leaned down picking up Ran like it was nothing which for her it basically was nothing. Holding Ran in the crook of one arm she rubbed at their back with her other hand. “Hey, it’s okay. What happened? What’s...Ohhhh.” A soft little chuckle came from her. “Oh you are getting so big! It’s okay, it’s okay.” Reaching out she took the already small tooth making it look practically minuscule in her large hand.

“Hey, it’s okay. It’s okay. This happens to everyone. Even Omma, even me. It’s just part of getting bigger is all. Don’t worry though no matter how big you get I’ll still be here.” Voice warm, and reassuring Sevika started to carry Ran back to her food. “Of course you can’t get properly big if you don’t eat. Did you eat everything?” Somehow she’d forgotten to mention that the teeth falling out would in fact be replaced.

[independentzaun]

straws and bombs

Continued from Here with @legendscried

Looking discouraged, and a bit worried she reached out taking the cup and quietly sipped at it. Big blue eyes flickered up watching Vander move around, and his gentle touch at her hair brought a little smile to Powder’s face. She even sat up just a bit so it’d be easier for him to make those braids. Not for the first time she found herself amazed that those huuuuge hands could be so careful, and precise as well as gentle. “I wish I could have gone too. I just… I want to help.” Maybe she would have gone with if Mylo hadn’t complained, but than again somehow she’d gotten the feeling Vi hadn’t planned for her to be there on this job. That happened sometimes. She was smaller than the others, and shorter and as much as she hated it no matter how hard she tried there were times Powder just couldn’t go the same places they could.

“She’s the best though… She’s better than everyone else.” Nodding there was that kind of firm confidence only a younger sibling who practically worshiped their older sibling could have. As worried as Powder might be that didn’t stop her from still being convinced Vi would always come back to her. Still sitting up she reached out taking her cup in both hands so she wouldn't drop it, and pulled it close sipping from the straw as she enjoyed the attention from Vander. “Together? Ya! Like what? OH You want to see the new bomb I’m working on? It’s supposed to be a big smoke cloud thing when it goes off. Help Vi, and everyone be sneaky and get away more easily.” Powder also had another bomb she was working on. One with nails, and shrapnel.

She wasn’t sure Vander would want to see that one though.