Hemlock and Ayleen: The art of conversation aka part 3 of Ayleen meeting Dead as Disco and her dad.
Meanwhile as Prophet and Charlie are searching for Arora…
Ayleen and Hemlock are on their own now, as they are still standing in the hallway, staring at each other. Ayleen is intrigued over the tall rebel who is her father, eyes widening more as she takes in his appearence. She was "warned" about that he wouldn't be like other parents, but from her point of view does she not look scared. More interested and fascinated.
Hemlock in other hand is still being very conflicted, because a kid??? But how, and when-
He has been through a lot of things in his life. There always happened and is still happening crazy shit when being in the band, and outside it too. And then was Harmony before. And he probably did many dumb things that he didn't remembered bc high or drunk or… Shit… Is this one of them…?? Well… If it is like that… Maybe he has to do something responsible in this life. Even if suddenly having a child is not what he expected.
"So…" His voice trails off, which doesn't happen that often. He IS usually the most talkative in the band after all, to the point where they has to tell him to be quiet now and then. The rebel leans against the wall, crossing his arms and is about to say something more but Ayleen then starts talking instead.
"Oh, what happened to your arm? Does it hurt? Do you need more bandages? I think I have some in my backpack. I can fall and get bruises and bleed from wounds a lot. I like climbing trees, do you do that too? Or something else? Mountains?" Ayleen says that while she begins to look in her backpack for said bandages and band-aid, while she is rummaging through it is it possible to notice her small bruises that she has on her lower arms, both older and new ones. And a few scratchmarks too. They must come from when she climbed the trees she was mentioning.
"Huh? Well, A lot? No, not that much. No, I don't need it. I… Don't climb those, and no." Hemlock spectates as Ayleen finds the bandages, now holding it out for him.
"Here, you can keep them, d- OH… Hm…" The young girl realises what she almost said, and blushes, feeling a little bit unsure now and looks up at him, a bit frozen on the spot. "Sorry..." It feels too early for her to say that to him, even if...
Wait, was she about to call him...? Hemlock gets a weird feeling in his heart over that, almost like a flutter.
"Hey, take it easy kid. This is... A lot to take in. For both of us." He sits down on the floor instead, legs crossed while giving the girl a glance. "Just say Hemlock for now, is allright." Hemlock adds that while Ayleen seemingly gets more relaxed.
"Oh... Okay.. Hemlock." Ayleen then gets another thoughtful expression before she decides on a thing. Or rather, what she does next. Before the rebel can react...
Is the child getting closer, and she...
Hugs him. Hugging him close. He is frozen on the spot at first, this is also new for him. But he then finds his arms moving, and he slowly embraces her, first hesitating, and being tense. but as she is still clinging on him like a koala, does he give her some awkward pats on her back.
"I have no ####ing idea what I'm doin'." Hemlock mutters that, feeling extremely awkward, but Ayleen hugs him closer, and hides her face against his shoulder, a muffled: "Dad." Can be heard coming from her.
Hemlock's heart.... Has officially melted by a kid, HIS kid.
"Daughter." He says that quiet and in a unusual soft tone. This is sappy as fuck, but... He isn't moving away from her, and the girl is clearly not gonna do that either.