Snippet #1853333

Azryel

"Drip-pip-pip-ing... Drop... Plop.."

Drooping hazel eyes watched the fat raindrops slide down the window pane sluggishly. First one, then five... then more than he could count...

"This displeases me." Azryel muttered to himself, hands finally falling still atop his lap. He could no longer see past the meadow; the gray clouds that had appeared so suddenly dumping their torrent with zeal. Could no longer see... and thus the purpose of him sitting here prudently, in this particular spot, waiting- was reduced to moot. "All the colors blend together... It displeases me." Azryel's fists clenched, fingers digging into his palms. He hissed through clenched teeth, ".. Repeating."

"Hummm... I should move, yes? Oui. No purpose sitting here.." Perhaps sitting in the common room would be more pleasing. Ah- but wait- What was that?... Something moved within the gray haze? He slitted his eyes, peering through the rain-stained glass. Whoever it was ran in a strange manner... Were they injured? As the figure approached, he could make out a dress. A female. ..I suppose. She glanced around. Was she lost? No... The figure continued on it's frantic way towards the house. Towards the door he sat beside. My, my... What's this... Do I know you? Was it someone new? He always did hope they'd get visitors... They never did.
The door was flung open, a thin, drenched girl stumbling through.

Sobbing..

Such Sobs. They echoed in his ears- Loud and wretched. Pulled from the shaking, tiny frame as if striving to break it in two.

She was Crying.
Azryel unfolded his hands. Folded them again. Unfolding them once more, for the last time, and placed them gingerly on the armrests to raise himself up. The girl raised her head- wide, frightened, molten eyes flashing against his own briefly. Ah. Azalea.. Little Azalea. The third soul. Of course it was a soul. Of course. It had been foolish to hope for a stranger.

Her chest was heaving.
The broken sounds... Crashed in waves against him. She was singing. Singing a song he knew.
This noise.. resonates in the song within me.

His eyes flicked lower to watch the girl's pale bosom work up and down under soaked garments as more shattering cries were wrenched from it. You tremble... Like a frightened little bird. Azryel's mouth opened slowly, as if to taste the despair that permitted the heavy air between them. Running his tongue against the backside of his teeth. Faintly, he wondered why she struggled. If it was so painful.. These intakes of breath... Why not just stop breathing?

What reason do you have to cry so, Azalea?

He watched as her legs buckled beneath her, as if the weight of her sorrow was too much to bear. She fell to her knees. Oh my. Azryel took half a step forward, with a utterance of concern. You look so sorry... So lost. Something surged through him, made his eyes slit ever so slightly before they returned to their expression of distress. A last chance for a first dace... "Azalea?" A sunrise that can't possibly exist-... He took another hesitant step towards her, the words rolling off his tongue deftly. Carefully, he bent and touched the shaking girl's shoulder. "Are you.. -Are you alright?"
Of course you are not.

Sweet, precious, darling Azalea. Never, never cried. Your sunshine, so easily overcast. I have a guess as to why. He had been observant. Not that it was hard to miss how she fawned over him. He knelt before her, twisting the lines on his forehead deeper in worry. "... Azalea.. What happened?" Yes. Sweet.. Precious... Darling. Azryel pulled the agitated girl against him, letting her sink into his chest, supporting her slouching body. Overwrought. It was as if all the energy had been drained from her wet, chilled flesh. This flesh.. felt nice in his arms. You.. shiver.

She was still sobbing, tears pooling against his shoulder and sinking into the material. Azryel's fingers stroked the back of her head in comfort, cooing softly in her ear. "Hush, little one." His fingers slipped through her soft locks and down her back. Up and down.. Up and down, as he whispered to her. "Shh, lovely one.. you are all wet..." Her tears soaked into his shoulder while he cradled her head. Still she cried. Ah, sparrow... Is it possible for you to feel more than this? To hurt more than you hurt now?.. I wonder. "Come, I will take you to get changed. Then you can tell me, if you wish." As he stood, he pulled the girl up with him, turning to look at the door as Ian walked in; the man glancing at Azalea and away just as fast.

Hn. I thought as much.

As Ian exited the kitchen, Azryel supported Azalea's limp form in the direction of their living quarters- finally picking up the shuffling girl when she had come dangerously close to stumbling into one of Ian's previously set trip wires. The duo made it to their room unscathed. Azryel set Azalea carefully to sit upon the floor and stood, retrieving a clean cotton dress from her bureau. He knelt once more before her; holding out the material, and slowly wiped away the fountain of tears that spilled out over her porcelain cheeks as best he could with his thumb. "Can you dress? Or do you need help?" Past his hushed tone, Azryel's face blushed slightly pink when he looked away from her, though his hand did not waver in offering her the dress. "I-.. I.. wish to help you Azalea.." He shook his head, furrowing his brows in pain. Hazel eyes met emerald green in ernest. "I hate to see you cry..."