06-19-2017, 11:59 PM
Okay, so welcomed is a bit of a stretch. Tolerated, and barely that, but it was more than I deserved back then. Funny how you forget shit like that after a few years, huh? Still. The offer stands. With a bit of a wry grin, I shrug an dnod just a little, just enough to let her know I caught that.
Roma lowers her head to Kali’s level, and puts on an extra serious face, and tries her hand at convincing Kali to behave. “Can you promise me that you won’t go back out on the ocean water like that?” All straight faced and everything. And Kali just tilts her head and scrunches up her face again, giving it some serious thought before shaking her head nope. Ha. Sassy little thing. I should probably be trying to talk her into listening, but I mean. She got that from me. And from her mom, really. How can I squash it when it’s so damn adorable.
At least she’s being honest now.
Roma starts to spin a tale of a friend of hers who was eaten by a great big fish while playing in the ocean, and for maybe a half a minute, Kali’s eyes go all wide with fascination and she maybe even buys it. She even bites her lip and starts to droop a little like she’s about to give in. But then she narrows her pretty brown eyes and purses her lips, and huffs out an indignant breath.
“You, Miss Roma, are telling a not-truth, aren’t you? That is very sneaky of you. And I’m terribly conflicted, because I sneaky is delightful, but sneaky is much better when it’s being snuck at somebody else. I think you’re telling stories, and I don’t believe you. Though that was a pretty cool story, at least. ‘Sides, I can so stomp a fish. I’m maybe pretty little yet, but I got a mean stomp, I bet. No yucky ol’ fish is gonna eat me up.”
Oh holy shit, look at that, my girl’s got attitude. Ohhh you tell that fish, baby. Punch him on his big dumb nose. Knock him flat on his ass. And then you do that to boys who come sniffing around you in a couple of years too. I should have a talk about being safe. We will. We’ll have a good long talk later. But for just a moment, I indulge in a proud papa grin. “Damn straight, you tell that fish who’s boss, kid. Oh but also yes, no sneaking off without letting us know where you’re going, little miss. You’re still very small, and there are much bigger things out there than itty bitty Kali hooves.”
Kali, naturally, completely avoids the topic by getting distracted. “But I’m your new best friend, right? That part wasn’t telling stories? ‘Cause I like that, right now I have my family and a couple of boys who are my friends, a shiny scaley boy who’s all sunshine and fire in his skin, who lives up on a mountain and gets to play on a big, pretty lake! And also Uncle Roo, who lives in a big, big forest with big, big trees and a pretty name that sounds kinda like tigers. Ohhh and also a little girl, the friend I--well, um, yes, I made a couple of friends, but I don’t have a best friend. Except well kind of my big brother Khari, but do brothers count as best friends? If they do, then yes, him, for sure. He has pretty wings and cuddles the best and also we go exploring together and have so much fun. But maybe I could have two best friends?”
Mmhmm. Distract with the adorable chatter, redirect, and hope they forget the original topic. Kid learns fast, doesn’t she? Didn’t even know I was teaching her, but here we are.
“We’re still gonna have that talk later, kiddo.”
“Aww, damn.”
I snort, and meet Roma’s gaze. “Don’t worry, your honor’s safe enough with me. Give me a minute.” Kali launches into a list of her favorite things, as requested, while I rearrange my shape into something a little more conducive to carrying someone across the water. Pull some iron out of the ground to slide under her hooves and lift her up, settling her into the newly hollowed-out shape of my back. I redistribute the iron that is as close to flesh as I’ve got to fit her body and give her a nice stable hold, mold myself around her some until she’s comfortable, because solid iron isn’t exactly the coziest thing to nestle into. And then we’re off.
“We’ll go nice and easy, at least ‘til you’re used to it, okay?” I’ve had a bit of practice carting around some of my kids like this, so I can keep her nice and steady at an easy pace, even if Kali sighs and trudges sloooowly beside me instead of leaping and bounding and rolicking across the waves. Then she remembers her list, and perks right up. Just like that, she’s chattering happily and prancing along beside us for the rest of the trip.
“Um, well, I love my big brother Khari, and all my family. They’re real nice, and lots of fun to play with. I love ‘sploring, especially new places, or especially with my Daddy or my Khari or both. He’s real good at finding fun places on Ischia though, and he loves to share them with me. It’s the best. Oh and I like making new friends, and Daddy helps me not be scared or shy. Also Daddy’s part of my favorites, ‘cause he’s the bestest daddy. Or at least the bestest daddy I’ve ever heard of. Ohhh I love rainbowy birdies, and I love sunshine, and flowers that smell like rain and growing things and prettiness, and oh I also love the water, that’s maybe my very favorite thing that isn’t my family. Except it kind of is, ‘cause so many of us can play on it like this! What are your favorite things, Miss Roma?”
Roma lowers her head to Kali’s level, and puts on an extra serious face, and tries her hand at convincing Kali to behave. “Can you promise me that you won’t go back out on the ocean water like that?” All straight faced and everything. And Kali just tilts her head and scrunches up her face again, giving it some serious thought before shaking her head nope. Ha. Sassy little thing. I should probably be trying to talk her into listening, but I mean. She got that from me. And from her mom, really. How can I squash it when it’s so damn adorable.
At least she’s being honest now.
Roma starts to spin a tale of a friend of hers who was eaten by a great big fish while playing in the ocean, and for maybe a half a minute, Kali’s eyes go all wide with fascination and she maybe even buys it. She even bites her lip and starts to droop a little like she’s about to give in. But then she narrows her pretty brown eyes and purses her lips, and huffs out an indignant breath.
“You, Miss Roma, are telling a not-truth, aren’t you? That is very sneaky of you. And I’m terribly conflicted, because I sneaky is delightful, but sneaky is much better when it’s being snuck at somebody else. I think you’re telling stories, and I don’t believe you. Though that was a pretty cool story, at least. ‘Sides, I can so stomp a fish. I’m maybe pretty little yet, but I got a mean stomp, I bet. No yucky ol’ fish is gonna eat me up.”
Oh holy shit, look at that, my girl’s got attitude. Ohhh you tell that fish, baby. Punch him on his big dumb nose. Knock him flat on his ass. And then you do that to boys who come sniffing around you in a couple of years too. I should have a talk about being safe. We will. We’ll have a good long talk later. But for just a moment, I indulge in a proud papa grin. “Damn straight, you tell that fish who’s boss, kid. Oh but also yes, no sneaking off without letting us know where you’re going, little miss. You’re still very small, and there are much bigger things out there than itty bitty Kali hooves.”
Kali, naturally, completely avoids the topic by getting distracted. “But I’m your new best friend, right? That part wasn’t telling stories? ‘Cause I like that, right now I have my family and a couple of boys who are my friends, a shiny scaley boy who’s all sunshine and fire in his skin, who lives up on a mountain and gets to play on a big, pretty lake! And also Uncle Roo, who lives in a big, big forest with big, big trees and a pretty name that sounds kinda like tigers. Ohhh and also a little girl, the friend I--well, um, yes, I made a couple of friends, but I don’t have a best friend. Except well kind of my big brother Khari, but do brothers count as best friends? If they do, then yes, him, for sure. He has pretty wings and cuddles the best and also we go exploring together and have so much fun. But maybe I could have two best friends?”
Mmhmm. Distract with the adorable chatter, redirect, and hope they forget the original topic. Kid learns fast, doesn’t she? Didn’t even know I was teaching her, but here we are.
“We’re still gonna have that talk later, kiddo.”
“Aww, damn.”
I snort, and meet Roma’s gaze. “Don’t worry, your honor’s safe enough with me. Give me a minute.” Kali launches into a list of her favorite things, as requested, while I rearrange my shape into something a little more conducive to carrying someone across the water. Pull some iron out of the ground to slide under her hooves and lift her up, settling her into the newly hollowed-out shape of my back. I redistribute the iron that is as close to flesh as I’ve got to fit her body and give her a nice stable hold, mold myself around her some until she’s comfortable, because solid iron isn’t exactly the coziest thing to nestle into. And then we’re off.
“We’ll go nice and easy, at least ‘til you’re used to it, okay?” I’ve had a bit of practice carting around some of my kids like this, so I can keep her nice and steady at an easy pace, even if Kali sighs and trudges sloooowly beside me instead of leaping and bounding and rolicking across the waves. Then she remembers her list, and perks right up. Just like that, she’s chattering happily and prancing along beside us for the rest of the trip.
“Um, well, I love my big brother Khari, and all my family. They’re real nice, and lots of fun to play with. I love ‘sploring, especially new places, or especially with my Daddy or my Khari or both. He’s real good at finding fun places on Ischia though, and he loves to share them with me. It’s the best. Oh and I like making new friends, and Daddy helps me not be scared or shy. Also Daddy’s part of my favorites, ‘cause he’s the bestest daddy. Or at least the bestest daddy I’ve ever heard of. Ohhh I love rainbowy birdies, and I love sunshine, and flowers that smell like rain and growing things and prettiness, and oh I also love the water, that’s maybe my very favorite thing that isn’t my family. Except it kind of is, ‘cause so many of us can play on it like this! What are your favorite things, Miss Roma?”