random_cantina | Bringing a friend to the cantina. ((locked to victormakesart))

He trilled softly, then cheerfully bombed her with happy feelings that made Nathan giggle and pat him.

She laughed, let the feelings fill her.

It pushed away fear. It pushed away nervousness. Awkwardness. The lingering scraps of pain that clung, like dust, to the windowsill of her mind.

"Thank y'."

"I hope someday you get to meet Jana or Mmween," said Ben as he leaned back against her comfortably. "They're grownup Namarri, 'n their nice too. But not bossy like Lonnie."

Lonnie squeaked, then reached curiously toward Albus as he went to one knee in front of them.

"Cassie says that you're more than welcome to use one of her spare rooms tonight," he said, eyes kindly as they rested on her face. "But you don't need to if you would find it uncomfortable. There are rooms at the inn as well."

"Cantina," corrected Ben, holding onto his toes as he snuggled.

"I dun think Lonnie's bossy, an' I'd very like t' meet...th' others mentioned," she said with a sweet smile, gentle voice.

And then her attention was diverted by the Albus-man. "Thank y' very much, sir. I think crashin' here'd be rather nice." She tried to keep from shifting under his gaze. It wasn't so much that she was particularly shy as it was that she felt like he was seeing her. Really looking at her. Most people just saw things because they were in front of them, but to Victor, Albus-man was making an effort. It was new-ish.

He wasn't fondly remembered as one of the best headmasters a certain school had ever had for nothing.

Albus smiled, his eyes twinkling over his glasses. "Excellent. Then I leave knowing that you are safe and in very good hands." His voice dropped. "I may not know Mrs Winchester personally yet, but I know her sister in law very well and have heard nothing but good of she herself."

"She's great." Ben stifled a yawn by sticking his foot in his mouth.

((And the time approaches for me to sleep again. G'night!))

"L-leave?" She shoved away the little bit of her (actually not quite so little) that wanted to say 'oh please don't leave me' and latch onto him. She was determined not to be childish. "I mean I b'lieve you an' all, totally! 'S that..." She trailed off vaguely, shrugged. "I'll...? 'M sorry, I lost my thoughts."

((good sleep:D))

"Yes. I have to go home," he said gently as Mmlon upped his purring and happies. "But you aren't trapped here. If you want to leave you have only to find one of the teleporter doors and think of where you want to go."

Ben frowned at mention of her going and looked up at her wistfully. Surely she'd stay and cuddle and play at least a little bit longer?

She swallowed, nodded. "You hafta go?" And the happies made her feel more at ease but - but why couldn't he stay? No, she would not be immature about this. "S' that's how it works, then. F'r the teleporters."

She wanted to stay, but Albus had been a relative force of stability for her for the past few however-long-it's-been.

He nodded, blue eyes gentle. "My family will start to worry about me soon. As I said, we're just cleaning up from a war. If it were any other time I would have simply taken you with me, but I don't feel that it would be fair to do so now. You need a quiet, safe place. And the bed and breakfast is many things, but quiet isn't one of them."

Cassie came to kneel nearby and he glanced at her before turning to Victor again.

"I think she needs a hug," said Ben wisely. Mmlon just did more happies.

"Yes, sir." She chewed at her lip, fussed slightly over the babies, nocryingnocrying.

Happy thoughts were good, and she held onto them, used them to help her stay calm.

Small smile at Cassie. "Hi..."

Cassie smiled back, but didn't say anything yet, content to just be a supportive presence to the side.

Albus, meanwhile looked thoughtfully at Ben, then lifted his eyes to Victor again. "Would you like a hug, my dear?"

Another smile, then!

"Please," she said softly, her voice was slightly tight (bordering on choked), but the happy feelings were helping a lot.

He nodded, then leaned forward and gently gathered her and the babies into his arms, praying that she be able to feel safe and comfortable. Mmlon was totally delighted with the whole proceeding and wrapped himself around everybody in the hug.

She relaxed, first from the shoulders, and hugged him back gently. Careful-gentle-soft.

"You're safe here," he murmured, chuckling softly at the happy song that Mmlon was trilling and paying attention so that he could tell when Victor had had enough hug and let go of her.

"Yes," she whispered. "I...I, yes." The song tugged a smile to her lips, and she shifted slightly, ducked her head. It was her own physical way of saying 'it's okay now' without saying 'it's okay now'.

He let her go and sat back, smiling as Nathan and Ben both heaved big sighs and then gently coaxing Mmlon to let go till he could sit back again.

She settled back, with a tiny giggle at the synchronized sighs. And she was suddenly really rather tired.

He could see the tired as he gave her hand a pat of farewell and stood up. "Ouch...."

Fawkes trilled as Cassie got up to see him to the door.

"I'm not that old. Watch where you say that, Salinas doesn't need any ideas."

"You okay, sir?"

She looked up, concerned.

"Oh yes." He stopped to give her a last smile.

"He's just old," noted Ben candidly, reaching over to take Nathan's finger and poke it into the younger baby's mouth.

Shy-shy. She'd tip her hat to him if she wasn't otherwise baby-occupied.

"He ain't old," she said with a warm smile and a wink.

Albus chuckled and continued on his way, feeling cheered that he'd been able to tender assistance.

"Old on the outside." Ben nodded, then blinked as Nathan bit his finger instead. "Ouch...."

Victor laughed (quietly, softly, tentatively), and brushed a bit of hair behind her ears before focusing her full attention on the babies. "Awww!"

"If you weren't too wid... liddle to know better I'd smack you for that," said Ben gently.

Nathan just quirked an eyebrow and grinned at him before looking up at Victor with a little squeal and a back arch that ended in him once more snuggled against her.

Cassie chuckled. "Are you hungry or anything? We'll be having supper pretty soon; as soon as Mary gets home."

Bringing a friend to the cantina. ((locked to victormakesart))

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