just_muse_me 23.5.4. An awkward moment. [rp thread for questionorigin]

[gothams_dent]

Follows this post.Though Nadine fell asleep with relative ease once he managed to convince her that the Scarecrow was nowhere in the vicinity, Harvey had a more difficult time. All he could see was Duela’s little face, brows knit with worry and confusion, peeking out of her bedroom door. He was both thankful and regretful that she’d gone back

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[questionorigin]

Duela knew things were kept from her. Sometimes, Uncle Jonathan would tell her things, impressing upon her that they were things her mother and father didn't want her to know about. For her own good, of course, but she always knew that little smile of his meant he was telling her a secret.

Even now, awake and alert, satisfied that there was nothing in her closet or under her bed, Duela couldn't shake off a mild sense of fear. She'd never seen her mother like that, never heard that tone in her voice. Her mother's fear had always been hidden from her, at least to a large degree. Sometimes she saw a backwards glance taken by the woman or heard her mutter something before pulling her close, but nothing like what she'd seen last night.

Having checked all the places where something scary might hide, Duela had returned to bed, nestled in with her stuffed dog and a book. She looked up when the knock came at her door. "Yes, Daddy?"

[gothams_dent]

Harvey pushed open the door slightly. She sounded just fine. Still, he knew from years of living with Nadine that a person could sound just fine and not be. "Can I come in?" he asked.

[questionorigin]

"Course." She felt fine-- mostly. Once she'd made sure there really wasn't anything in her room. Not that she hadn't learned from her mother how to sound calm even when she wasn't.

[gothams_dent]

He went into her room, closing the door behind him. "Morning," he said, taking a seat on her bed. He glanced around briefly, as if momentarily surprised to find himself there. The little girl-ness of the bedroom, the fact that he and Nadine had a child was still cause for wonder to him, even now.

[gothams_dent]

Harvey went back into the master bedroom to see if Nadine was up yet.

[knowthenbreak]

Nadine was awake, dressed casually enough for the weekend. She glanced over her shoulder at the window, reassuring herself that it was, in fact, still locked.

[gothams_dent]

"Nadine?" Harvey moved toward the bed.

[knowthenbreak]

Nadine smiled a bit at her husband. "Good morning."