[In Person]

[bestamontillado]

[There is, currently, a ten year old, dressed a little "odd" (late 1800's), hiding wedged in behind books on a lower bookshelf in the study. He'd be doing a very good job of hiding, or at least it looking like there's nothing there, except for one problem.]

[That problem would be that the walls are bleeding. And occasionally sprouting eyes and blinking.]

[The problem extends out to the door and the hall immediately around the doorframe, and there's a constant, quiet sound of voices that can't quite be made out that seem to be coming from the bookshelves of the study.]

[Anybody psychic/with extra senses, the bleeding and all is kind of oozing that it's coming from someone, and there's a lot of panic coming from it.]

[Welcome to Spade's childhood! :D]

Comments

[bestamontillado]

[Well, any bit of memory you get/sense of familiar is very much late 1800's, if upper-class Europe - which probably fills in a lot of that. Also a lot of basically everyone being at least low-level afraid of him, if not outright hostile, lots of evil eye charms, a couple exorcism attempts that went badly...also that time his brother tried to kill him in the woods and ended up missing an eye because it was suddenly full of large monstrous blade-legged spiders. Or when his mother tried to drown him.]

[There's a small shuffle a bit further back in the shelf and he is just peering around one of the shorter books to give you a very odd and suspicious look - on the one hand, there's only one other person that HASN'T decided he's a demon/has the Evil Eye/is possessed, which is pretty glaringly easy to pick up. On the other, he's kind of aware of the poking and there's a bit of suspicious mental flattening at it, even though he doesn't really have the strength to do much about it.]

[psychic_labrat]

*Charles immediately pulled back his presence, respecting the unasked boundaries. Especially since he got what he was looking for in any case. He smiles invitingly when he saw Spade peeking out at him. He wasn't afraid, quite the contrary. He switches to verbal communication now that he's begun to lure the boy out from his hiding place*

Hello.

[bestamontillado]

[This is where there's still that whole cautious confusion - and he's nervous about voicing the first priority question about Elena, which leaves with the second priority of confusion.]

...

Why are you being so nice to me?

[psychic_labrat]

Because I'm like you, and I remember how scary it can be. I know how people judge. In my time it's not that different from yours. *there is a deep well of sadness to that. "Regular" people don't react well to people like him.*

I want to help. So that you don't have to be afraid.

[bestamontillado]

[...And that is entirely too believable; Hell, he remembers what a surprise it was that Elena never really blinked or was afraid of some of what he did.]

[it might take a bit for him to settle enough for the walls to stop bleeding, but at least they're not sprouting eyes anymore?]

...Is it safe here?

[psychic_labrat]

*WOW, WHAT A LOADED QUESTION*

It seems to be, at the moment. I just arrived here myself, and the manor feels to be at peace.

Are you hungry?

[bestamontillado]

[Blink.]

[Blink.]

This isn't your house?

[Yes, he kind of has been not really eating besides snagging things while hiding and freaking out, but he'll get to that in a minute]

[psychic_labrat]

Not in title, no, though I will be living here for awhile. *how long is a question he can't answer*

Someone else brought me here, too.

*he'll wait as long as Spade needs him to before he's comfortable*

[bestamontillado]

[Blink.]

[If you're telling the truth, then this whole thing just got more confusing.]

So you're not the kidnapper.

[It probably says something about his situation that it's been his assessment all along and yet the lowest priority to worry about.]

[psychic_labrat]

No, I do not kidnap children.

Was it easier to think I was?

[bestamontillado]

[...Welp, even if you're not the kidnapper, you're still incredibly weird.]

You said "our", and people don't wake up in strange places for no reason.

[On the bright side, he's not being hostile, just slightly snarky and with seriously stunted social skills!]

[psychic_labrat]

*oh he likes you. He smiles, nodding*

Very good. I did say 'our'. Using it as a definition of those who live here at any one time. For now that also includes you.

I wish I could explain why you woke up here, but that information is a bit beyond me.

[bestamontillado]

[....You talk like the tutors do to some of the other kids.]

[Aaand you were just sidestepping something where he doesn't have a clue why you would've been half-lying about it in the first place, which does get a bit of a "...really?" look as much as he's not going to call you on it right now.]

...That means who owns this place and why they took us, doesn't it.

[Which has him very unhappy, particularly since he can't pick up on Elena and that's not a thing that's ever happened before.]

[psychic_labrat]

*he nods again*

I would give you clear answers if I had them. All I know is that this is the Manor and the one who brought us here is only known as The Author.

Would you like to talk more in the kitchen? There's food and I can fix you something warm to drink.

[bestamontillado]

[You do realize that this sort of thing would probably make it so that, even if you had been a kidnapper, not only would his family have not bothered to pay a ransom, but he wouldn't have wanted to go back.]

[What you do know makes no sense. But right now nothing makes sense, you least of all, and he's given up on making sense of it in favor of not having a headache.]

[He thinks that over for a minute; realistically speaking, if people know where he is, then hiding in a bookshelf isn't really any safer than being out and visible.]

[So he's pushing a few of the books out, enough to get space to crawl out, although he's still keeping a wary watch on Charles.]

[psychic_labrat]

*Charles makes sure his smile is friendly as he stands, resisting the urge to hold out his hand to the boy. It's obvious he doesn't feel safe yet, and Charles has yet to figure out how to convince him. It surely didn't help that he couldn't say for certain whether or not the manor is safe right now at all*

Come, this way. It's not a far walk.

*he moves towards the door of the study and pauses to wait for him. It occurs to him that he never got the boy's name, too concerned with his power to even risk looking for it*

What's your name?

[bestamontillado]

[He is following - slightly closer than just "cautious distance", but it's a little on the "devil you know" side; erring towards "duck behind Charles" over "keep distance just in case".]

[There's a small shuffle at being asked his name, however.]

...Rosario. Rosario degli Silvestri. [It's said with a slight grimace; his first name is SO VERY religious, and he's not really on speaking terms with religion for obvious reasons, neither is he that fond of his family, as much as it's still habit to keep the formal family identifier mostly because he's used to getting in trouble if he's caught dropping it..]

[psychic_labrat]

*makes a small, thoughtful sound, picking up on the unease and pondering over it*

It's a pleasure to meet you, Rosario. Is there anything in particular you would like to eat?

*he is totally aware of how unlikely it would be for him to be able to make something accurate to his time, but that doesn't stop him from asking anyway*

[bestamontillado]

[As much as he is hungry, it hasn't really been anywhere NEAR the top of his priorities, and he's never exactly held enough favor to have a lot of input; there's a lost moment and a small shrug.]

As long as it doesn't have peppers.

[Not that he had much against them per se, but a Certain Sibling That Was Now Missing An Eye had decided finding ways to slip hot peppers into things that shouldn't have them was hilarious, and he'd gotten used to having to watch out for it.]

[psychic_labrat]

Easy enough.

*heads straight for the cabinets when they arrive at the kitchen, taking out the supplies for tea before thinking about the food*

Do you drink tea? There is cocoa here as well, if you would prefer.

[bestamontillado]

[This was new; it'd been a long time since people had actually asked and not just been leaving things out and avoiding him.]

Ah - tea is fine.

[psychic_labrat]

*smiles peacefully and sets a kettle on the stove for tea, followed up by another pot of water to boil for macaroni. He begins pulling things out of the fridge, humming thoughtfully as he puts together a meal for the two of them*

*pretty shortly he has the pasta cooking, a small pile of holiday shaped chicken nuggets heating in the oven, and two mugs of tea set out on the table*

Would you like anything with your tea, Rosario?

/There is no appropriate icon for tiny squishy Spade.

[bestamontillado]

[Most of this is completely unfamiliar besides the tea, and he's staying quiet - this honestly is not something that's happened to him in a very long time.]

[There's a couple uncertain blinks - he's used to scurrying around getting things for himself where he can reach...]

...honey?

I don't have any appropriate icons for this whole conversation.

[psychic_labrat]

Of course.

*he pokes through the cabinets and fridge until he finds a good honey and offers it to the boy before taking his own mug and adding cream*

[bestamontillado]

[He's a little clumsy with it - plastic squeezy bottles aren't exactly familiar - but he's managing without too much mess, although he's a little distant.]

...Is there any way to contact home from here?