oneman_onevote | (no subject)

Reading hour is now over, and having removed all sharp objects from reach of the floor, Havelock places the child down on the rug to crawl about and explore as he wishes for a while, sitting himself down crosslegged in the corner to observe and make sure nothing untoward happens.

Havelock's room is... spartan to say the least, but at least there is no longer a rotting demon-arm attached to the wall. And he had the presence of mind to put down a soft rug.

Black.

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And crawl he does, laughing and chirping to himself.

When he finds something loose he can pick up, it goes in his mouth. He likes tasting things. Best way to find out what's best to chew on later.

He uses the bed to pull himself up into a standing position, but it doesn't last long. Gabriel falls back onto his padded backside and decides that if he can't use the bed to walk, then he will use it to eat.

The corner of Havelock's blanket is pulled on and then shoved into the child's droolly mouth proudly.

It's hardly a tragedy if it ends up a little damp, and the blanket is clean, so the assassin lets him.

Havelock has a book in his lap, which he skims lazily, one eye always paying close attention to the child. He doesn't even know what to call it, but it seems unlikely his lack of a name will cause confusion in present company.

"How does it taste?"

"Good!" he says around the mouthful. "Dry."

He tilts his head, bright eyes watching him.

"Crow," he announces to Havelock, giggling. "Crow read."

"Excellent," he murmurs vaguely before glancing down at the book.

"I do indeed. Or was that a request?"

He giggles again, fingers going into his mouth.

"Play!"

His attention span? Not the longest. But he can make many requests.

Gabriel simply doesn't like to be left to his own devices long. He's a social child.

"Ada? Ada come?" he finally questions, seeming to remember that yes, he does possess parents and he hasn't seen them in... well... time was irrelevant. He just knows Ada hasn't tucked him in a while.

Ada. Not a word that Havelock knows the translation of for definite, but the sound is certainly familiar.

"I do not know, I'm afraid," he says, marking his place and setting the book aside. "But I'm sure they will."

He'll ask Puck later on. If the child has parents, they are likely concerned.

"In the meantime, what would you like to play?"

Parents forgotten in favour of play!

"Play! Crow play!"

He bounces on his bottom, hands clapping with excitement.

"Play hide seek!"

Gabriel giggles, coos lyrically, then blinks out of Havelock's sight.

Havelock blinks.

Ah.

Something else Puck forgot to mention.

The assassin gets to his feet and begins an efficient and methodical search of the room, beginning with under the bed.

Yes. Puck forgot the mention a lot of things.

There is quiet giggling in the bathroom.

Gabriel, after all, was not an assassin. Stealth was not in his bag o' tricks.

It was, and is, most definitely in Havelock's.

There is a pause, and then a slim black-clad arm reaches down behind the (thankfully empty) bath from inside it.

Bwahahaha.

Gabriel squeals and squirms, delighted at being caught.

"Find!"

Then his arms are empty as Gabriel hides again.

This time... under the bed.

He doesn't know many places to hide. His father had grown horribly tired of the game the fourth time he had found Gabriel in the bathtub.

It takes even less time to locate the child this time, but Havelock makes a show of walking past the bed a few times first before looking under.

It is important to encourage effort in early stages.

Apparently.

He laughs when he's found and picked up. Gabriel gives Havelock a wet kiss on his nose.

"Found 'briel! Good crow."

Gabriel seems to think the same thing, that encouragement is important.

Havelock... blinks again.

People don't tend to do that. Apart from Puck, and that is a slightly different situation.

And Faith, but that's Faith.

Well, Gabriel's parents are affectionate with him, each other, and his sister.

So... he's affectionate to those around him.

"Crow have baby?" he asks him, craning his neck to see if Havelock as a child of his own he could play with, too.

Well, given the other night's slightly confusing conversation with Puck...

"No," he says. "I am a little young, yet."

He's aware that babies are not always intentional, but he tends to plan these things. As of now, he anticipating maybe never.

It would be counterproductive to taking over the city, he feels.

He frowns.

But it passes quickly.

"Kelly. Kelly fun. You have Kelly."

Yes.

He is giving away his sister.

Well, given that his uncle gave him away, it clearly runs in the family.

"I do not believe we have met, alas," the assassin says, sitting down on the bed, child on his lap.

"Kelly pretty. Older. Has kitty. 'briel has puppy."

He pauses thoughtfully.

"Atar? Where?"

"You are still in Milliways," he informs the little boy. "This is my room. I am not sure where you usually stay."

"With Atar. With Ammë. With Ada. With Nana!"

He lists these off quite proudly, chest puffed up.

Havelock nods, wondering idly which one lost the child.

"I see."

He giggles, smooshing Havelock's cheeks with his hands.

"Pretty crow."

Then the assassin is given bunny kisses.

Ada had taught him bunny kisses.

Havelock submits somewhat helplessly.

Well, what else is he going to do?

He was taking it rather well, actually.

"Tell Ada 'bout crow. Like crow."

Yes.

Now Havelock was liked by the boy. After all, he had played music. Gabriel liked music. Reminded him of his father and his brothers and sisters.

"How very kind."

Crow is certainly a new nickname, as is this whole experience. He'd had the vague impression that children were less amiable creatures.

Also less articulate, but it is fairly tricky to tell ages, after all, and the book had been less than helpful.

You wear all black, and the child who associates everyone with a bird assigns you a birdname.

If his Papa were here, he'd give his son an odd look.

"Sing." He rests his head against Havelock, humming one of the pieces of music that had been played earlier.

But only a small amount.

Little lights dance in front of them, entertaining the child.

"...Sing?"

Havelock... well, he can sing... ish, but really doesn't tend to.

He enjoys reading sheet music for the purity of it, but...

Gabriel now frowns.

"Crow no sing?"

He doesn't know that crows tend to sound terrible when they sing...

"I am not very good at it," he explains solemnly.

He weighs this, then nods.

"Atar sing good."

Gabriel looks at his tiny belly, then slaps it a couple times.

"Tummy talk!"

Havelock blinks again.

He seems to be doing a lot of that.

"Does it?" he hazards.

"Tummy talk."

He pokes at it a little.

"Hungry."

Havelock nods.

He is on firmer ground here, and places the child back on the bed as he goes to the dresser, where he had stashed some soft food which seemed acceptable earlier on.

"One moment, then."