For Helen

[thedevamper]

Nikola did not have to be a genius to realise that something had occured in the middle of the night to him. For one, his feet could no longer touch the floor when he swung his legs over the bed. Secondly, William's stolen clothes were like giants on him. And thirdly, well his voice sounded like he'd backtracked several decades or so and was a child

Comments

[lastof_five]

Helen had been up early to go to the Compound for tea after the...waking up with a boyfriend who was now a girlfriend fiasco and when she came back, there was a petulant little boy sitting outside her hut.

"What's wrong, then, darling?" She didn't know him but that hardly mattered; being on the Council meant everyone knew her face.

[thedevamper]

Nikola turned his head, staring up at Helen with wet glossy eyes before he did what every child would do and held his arms out towards her. Nikola looked like he was on the verge of tears, which truth be told he had been about ten seconds ago but now with Helen here, Nikola felt safe and like he could also play this to his advantage.

Nikola sniffed dramatically and stuck his lip out further, impatiently holding out his arms.

[lastof_five]

"It's all right," she murmured, taking him into her arms. It'd been a while since she'd held a child, Coraline's a young woman and hardly this young, and she smoothed her hand over his hair to try and ease whatever was wrong.

"Did you just arrive? How did you know my name?"

[thedevamper]

Nikola managed to keep his face straight as Helen picked him up and as he pressed his face against her neck. And nuzzled. Ah, yes, this was exactly what he wanted. Well, almost entirely what he wanted. Nikola's lips twisted into his tell tale smirk as he put his arms around Helen.

"You could say that," Nikola said, grinning at Helen impishly. "Is this all it takes to get you to hold me? Apparently children do have their uses."