Topic: There's Always Hope.

The Redneck

Date: 2014-05-26 17:11 EST
Shorts today, as usual, loose fitting around the thigh and hem, black eyelet cotton, and a soft lilac colored tank top that fit like a second skin. Sing-song crooning of Les's name from the suddenly there redneck. And another sing-song crooning of Mav's name as well. Greetings, they were awesome.

" 'M doin' damn good." She replied to the question tossed her way with a lazy wink from Mav. Smiles and cheer and warmth and good vibes, all tangled together around and together in the little-ish blonde. Mischief in her eyes, though that bled away into confusion laced with worry when she caught sight of a mangled plushie behind the bar. Hadn't quite made it to the trash can it seemed.

"Poor little guy." Just, excuse her while she fetched the teddy mouse-bear thing. Needed surgery, and some re-stuffing. Thorn's a soft touch yes.

Also, Mav whistled, she slapped herself on the arse. hard for it. Was a thing she does, seriously.

While Mav and Lesinda both went into some deeper contemplation of the secrets of the multiverse, Thorn made a better study of the damage done to the plush critter. "Well, since y're back here I'm pretty damn sure no little one's gonna be missin' you. Not less some massive dick-drip decided t' steal y'. Which I kinda doubt. Y're a little, rustic I think." Yes, carrying on a one sided conversation with a damaged toy. Rummaging through drawers until she could find needle and thread. The redneck was soon enough settled on a bar stool, and with considerable skill and care, closing the gaping wound. "Y' could use a little sprucin' I think. Least a bath, 's no tellin' where y've been, 'r whatcha were sittin' in down there."

Mav's comment upon not knowing that the redneck enjoyed toys, or dolls had her chuckling and shaking her head slowly. "Lost things, broken things. Dolls, they're mos'ly freakin' creepy little empty eyed dead children, or dead tiny women, creep me straight the fug out." She shuddered then, and not all of it an affectation.

"Toys, I don' go all wild 'bout 'em 'r totally girly, but they're cool." Wicked mirth flashed in her eyes and smile when she cut it Mav's way.

"Worst thing a person c'n do is grow all the way up. Run for the fun of it, jump off'a swings when they're at their highest arc, play tag, 'r hide-n-seek. Have fun, an' don' let an'one tell y' y're too old f'r it, 'cause y' only are if you decide you are." Not a rant, and definitely not something she meant as words to live by, just a touch of advice offered tainted by her opinion and beliefs.

"This little guy here," indicated the plushie she was closing up. "He'll wind up goin' to some little one who likely doesn't have someone to tell their secrets to, t' bury their face in when they're scared 'r shy. He'll wind up someone's friend, when they need one the most." Thorn, the redneck, was a lot more than she encouraged other people to believe.

Then she shrugged and chuckled. "Besides, I don' really like waste."

With the last, tidy and neat stitch secured, knotted, and sewn under to hide it, she bit the thread to break it. Settled the mouse plush on the bar long enough to put her tools away once more.

And though she enjoyed the conversation she shared with Mav and Les, and later the bits that Cianan and Senna arrived for, she kept the lost mouse close to her elbow. And when she left, she took him along for the ride.

She knew someone, down by the docks, that just might be able to give this fellow a solid home. A solid place.

The Redneck

Date: 2014-05-26 17:54 EST
Later, much later, after she'd given the little mouse its bath, and found a scrap of cloth to cut and hem and tie in a scarf around its neck, Thorn studied her handiwork with a content smile curving her lips.

Time to see if she was right. Slipped on a pair of boots over the faded jeans she'd tugged on, snagged up the mouse (who would remain unnamed until or unless this possible home was a solid match), and headed out. Behind her, Dae shook his head and chuckled low in his throat.

It constantly amazed him that he'd found himself in the employ of such an altruist. A thief, changing linens in the home of a woman determined to better whatever part of whatever world she happened to call home.

He was also quite glad she hadn't decided to keep the homely thing for herself. Mouse would've met with a terribly tragic accident between the teeth of one, or more, of the redneck's pack of dogs.

The area around her, wasn't quite so down trodden as those she normally found herself drawn to. Its inhabitants weren't so forlorn or angrily lost as her energies usually snapped out to dig in and help. As a matter of fact, this area was more solidly middle class than any she ever visited.

There were always exceptions. The sitter opened the door when the redneck knocked; it was rather difficult to mimic that particular pitch of chiming bells.

The older woman's confusion burned away into delight when she saw the mouse tucked under Thorn's arm. Soon enough the redneck was ushered into the play room of a child.

A thin boy, with skin the color of good cream. A shy, introverted nature added the pallor of a homebody over the top of that. With gold flecks in too large eyes of deep ocean blue, the child seemed to see to much of the world around him. The wary twist of a thin mouth hinted that he had yet to find comfort, had yet to find a place in that world he could trust.

Remy found companions in the pages of his books, as well as comfort and adventure. The woman who watched him, who sat with him when his grandfather was away was another source of comfort, and one that he had slowly, painfully began to allow himself to trust and depend upon.

This blonde woman, he'd seen her before, talking with his grandfather during one of the book fairs they'd gone to. A few other times at the after school program he went to sometimes. But more importantly, when he'd won a trip to Teas And Tomes over a story he wrote. A story about a toy who'd lost his family, and been given a chance with a new one. How the toy'd felt lost and angry and hurt, and guilty when he started loving his new family almost as much as his first one.

She'd talked to him. Like he was an adult, she'd looked him in the eye and hadn't worn that stupid, fake smile most adults wore when the talked to kids. She'd even crouched down so they'd be eye to eye. She hadn't told him to mind his manners, or to watch his language when he'd stubbed his toe and cussed.

What she was doing here he hadn't a clue. And when people you almost know, but don't really show up at your house, it wasn't usually a good thing. Not at all.

But she was telling him a story, about a toy who'd been hurt and tossed aside. Left behind a bar to go out with the trash, if anyone even bothered to pick it up and put it in the basket. Because, when he'd been thrown, they hadn't even tried to make it into the trash can. Just, left the mouse where he lay.

Until someone found him, picked him up. Tucked his stuffing back inside and carefully closed his chest up. He could see the scar, the neat stitches that were almost invisible unless you scrunched up your eyes and looked really close. He'd been stabbed in the chest. The mouse had. Thrown away.

Until he'd been found and helped and now, maybe, maybe Remy could help the mouse feel safe again. Could help the mouse trust again.

It was an important job, a big task she was asking of him. And she was awful sorry to have to ask him to take up this burden, but the mouse just looked so, lonely.

His hand was shaking, his heart was pounding in his throat. For once, Remy didn't worry and didn't think. He just reached out to take the mouse he was being offered and tuck it close. Hugged it so tight to his chest his arms hurt.

The scar on the mouse's chest, pressed stitch to tuck against the one on his own.

http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/mcWYgXq9aMpWzdssNKMnQQ/cid/123174974/id/5qG99x-l4xGMsBCGSbYPRA/size/c600x514.jpg

(Taken in part from live play, inspired by the play of a couple of others, who should recognize their part in this. Title taken from a line in this
Disney Short http://youtu.be/XMBlf4tJHas
Thanks everyone!)