(no subject)
New people wander into the Nexus all the time, but most of them aren't little kids.
This one, however, is. No more than perhaps four years old, wide-eyed and scared and crying silently, he's clinging to a leg of the Sign like it's a gaudy, blindingly bright security blanket, just unhappily watching all the people passing by like he doesn't know exactly what to do and occasionally rubbing his eyes with a grubby, tightly-balled fist, trying his hardest not to make himself obvious.
Eventually, though, he's going to have to make himself obvious. He's going to have to beat down his extreme fear of strange people, reluctantly let go of the Sign, and take a few wobbling steps forward...
...to trip over the cuffs of his too-long, lab-issued pants and fall flat on his face with a little cry, slowly getting back to his feet and pretending it didn't hurt even though his eyes are brimming with fresh tears.
A distraction is in order so he won't start to cry again, so he gathers what little courage he has, squares his tiny shoulders, and raises his voice as much as he dares, hoping he won't get into trouble for talking to strangers.
"...w-where's my brothers?"
This one, however, is. No more than perhaps four years old, wide-eyed and scared and crying silently, he's clinging to a leg of the Sign like it's a gaudy, blindingly bright security blanket, just unhappily watching all the people passing by like he doesn't know exactly what to do and occasionally rubbing his eyes with a grubby, tightly-balled fist, trying his hardest not to make himself obvious.
Eventually, though, he's going to have to make himself obvious. He's going to have to beat down his extreme fear of strange people, reluctantly let go of the Sign, and take a few wobbling steps forward...
...to trip over the cuffs of his too-long, lab-issued pants and fall flat on his face with a little cry, slowly getting back to his feet and pretending it didn't hurt even though his eyes are brimming with fresh tears.
A distraction is in order so he won't start to cry again, so he gathers what little courage he has, squares his tiny shoulders, and raises his voice as much as he dares, hoping he won't get into trouble for talking to strangers.
"...w-where's my brothers?"