Papa Primo bonds with Soleil and learns something very important about her.
Ever since Papa Primo took Soleil into the ministry, they've had a very close bond. She knew it from the very first moment she met him. With his kind eyes, soft voice, and the gentle touch of his hand, she just knew that he was someone she could trust. For the first few weeks, Soleil stuck to him like glue. She was anxious to be away from the one person she found comfort in, but he happily accepted her company. Every morning, he'd start his day in the garden with a nice cup of hot tea and enjoy the outdoors. He'd invited her to his morning rituals, and she eagerly looked forward to spending all the extra time with him. Primo would always make the most delicious teas, telling her all about each one and its special ingredients, which she'd listen to eagerly. She soaked up all the information he would give to her. Whether it be tea talk or botany, she soaked it all up like a sponge.
With her anxiety and the fact that she'd get over stimulated very easily. The garden became her favorite place to be. He'd take her through the greenhouses, show her each plant or flower, and tell her all about them, identifying features and fun facts about each one. She picked up everything he taught her very easily, and after a few weeks' time, he had asked her to be his permanent help in the garden. Soleil was utterly delighted! She gave him the biggest hugs of thanks. Her hugs always warmed his heart, and her enthusiasm with him and all he had to teach and offer her was so refreshing to him that it truly strengthened his love and care for her.
The biggest thing they shared in common was the garden being both of their escapes, their safe spaces, and Soleil felt honored that he trusted and cared enough for her to be let into the place he cared for the most. She had made a secret vow to make sure she took care of this garden and all that was in it just as much as he loved and cared for her, and it showed. Primo watched before his very eyes how bright and flourished she had made the flowers in his garden, and it filled him with pride.
Unfortunately, as many good days as there are, the bad days do come. When Soleil becomes too overstimulated, overwhelmed, anxious, or a mix of all three; the first place she runs to is the quiet sanctity of the garden. Most of those times, primo is already there, from juat sitting and enjoying the space, or tending to the flowers and vegetables. Any time he hears her soft cries and rushed breathing, he drops anything he's doing to immediately comfort her. In his world, she comes first. It's become routine to take her hand and gently lead her to sit under the weeping willow tree, cradling her into his arms. No matter what, Soleil will always curl herself up against his left side. If she's on the other side, she will switch immediately and burrow her head into his chest. With primos' soft voice and his embrace, her muscles relax, and she melts into his body. Her small, delicate hand presses against his stomach as he guides her breaths in and out. Feeling him breathe always helps her regulate her own breathing. Once she regulates her breaths, the trembling comes to an end, and her adrenaline spike comes back down; she begins to yawn. Always a good sign that she's regulating back to her normal self.
Primo takes notice of every single small detail of her anxiety attacks, her overstimulation, and her slow fall back down to normal. Every facial expression, the tones of her voice, specific body or tail movements; nothing escapes his eyes. He learns to read her like a book, sometimes even knowing she's not okay before she does.
After being around her for quite some time, Primo begins to notice a pattern in some of the things soleil tends to do. One of the first things that tended to make him curious was that if she was hugged to the wrong side of him, she'd always switch sides. He takes note that it's the left side she likes and makes sure in the future to automatically hold her there. Another thing that catches his eye is that once she begins to settle down, the tip of her tail would lift and drop in some sort of rhythm. Out of curiosity, he studied it for a bit while rubbing her back as he held her close. Lift-drop, lift-drop, lift-drop. It piqued his interest. Raising an eyebrow of curiosity, he took two fingers and very slyly placed it against his neck to feel his pulse. Suddenly, all the pieces fell into place. As he felt his pulse push against his fingers and watched her tail lift and drop, a soft smile spread across his face as he placed his arm back around her once more and made a mental note and kept it in the back of his mind.
Days pass by, and things continue on as normal. Primo was in the garden in the morning, setting up morning tea when he heard slow little shuffled footsteps approach him and small voice call out "..p-papa?" Placing down the teapot, he looks up to greet Soleil with a smile, but his emotion immediately shifts when he sees her. She looked as if she had been crying, eyes puffy and red. "Oh, my sweet child.." His brows furrowed, swiftly walking from behind the table to embrace her. As soon as he wraps his arms around her, she breaks, tears streaming down her cheeks as her body heaves against him. Soleil gasps for air, hyperventilating and trembling in Papa primos arms. He separates from her for a moment, his fingers lifting her chin up to look into her eyes. Using the tip of the sleeve of his chasuble wrapped in his hand, he tenderly wiped her tears. "It's okay, little one. Papa is here now, come..sit with me, yes?" His voice was low and soft as to not overstimulate her or upset her more. He reaches out his hand, her tiny, delicate hand timidly wrapping around his, feeling security and safety in his much larger, warm hand. "Come now, child..let Papa comfort you.." She nods her head and follows him to her safe space; right under the weeping willow tree.
Primo parts it's long hanging branches and leaves, and the two of them step into a whole new world. The sun glowing from behind the leaves gave the space underneath the tree a warm, soft glow straight out of a fairytale. Primo sits himself down, leaning against the big sturdy trunk of the mythical looking tree and extending a hand out to her with a soft smile pulling at his lips. In that moment, as the warm sun made his body glow with warmth, she knew she was safe. She takes his hand, kneeling down and curling up as close as she could to him, sniffles and whimpers escaping her as she rested her head against his shoulder and hugged him tightly. But Papa knew something was off. Taking it in his own hands to correct it, he gently caresses the side of her head, guiding it dlowly towards his chest. The ghoulettes cheeks flush a hot red, eyes widening as he stops right over his heart. She tries to move back but he's got a secure gentle grip on her. "P-Papa.." Soleil manages to squeak out a rebuttle. "Papa wh-what are you d-doing? I..p-papa..papa I-!" Papa cuts her off, hugging her tighter, never letting her head go. "Shhhh...Hush now my little one..relax..with all your protesting you won't be able to hear my heart beating for you..♡"
And with those words, Soleil freezes. The sound of his steady, strong heartbeat flooding into her ear. With each deep beat it makes, the muscle pushes up against the side of her head, almost like it's reaching to kiss the side of her head. Tears begin to prick at her eyes, a shaky inhale as her hand rests next to her head to feel his heart out of her own curiosity. "P-Papa..h-how did you.." She whispers, choked up as hot tears stream down her cheeks. Primo chuckled softly, kissing the top of her head while giving her another reassuring squeeze. "My sweet Soleil, it's your papas job to learn, to know exactly what you need and how he should take care of you..is it not? You are my daughter, my child, and Papa will do everything in his power to care for his daughter the best he can!" He says with a tender, caring tone in his voice as one of his hands rubs up and down her back. In his periferal he notices the little ghoulettes tail begin to wag. Yet again he uses his chasuble to wipe her tears before hugging back onto her again. "No more tears now, my little dove. Here..place your hand on your papas tummy and breathe nice deep breaths with him, hmm?" With a smile, soleil nods in agreement, her hand traveling to his stomach and letting his breathing guide her own breaths. As she laid there in her papas embrace listening to the strong thumping of his heart and taking guided breaths, she began to feel sleepy and relaxed. A child-like, tiny yawn fills the air around them. As her eyelids begin to fall shut, primo watches his daughter with pride, knowing he gave her just what she needed to feel safe and loved. "Rest now, little dove..papa will be right here when you awaken.." Soleil takes one nice big deep breath and shuts her eyes, nuzzling herself further into his chest. There was a short stretch of silence before she speaks once more. "Papa?" Soleil softly whispers, just about to succumb to the rest she so desperately needed. "Yes my dear?" Primo answers as if talking to a small child. "..thank you..I love you, papa.." Primos heart swells with love and pride with those three little words. He leans in and whispers to her and only her. "Papa loves you too, my child, with every beat his heart makes..every single one.."
