(ee, okay!)
Darius had been gone for a time, by now. Just enough for James to make sure he wasn't coming back. The man hummed some to himself, twirling his key ring on one finger as he walked up to the door of Darius's home and started looking for the key.
Mara waited a little while after she heard the front door close before she started taking care of a couple brief household chores. It didn't take long for her to make her way through her tunnels heading towards the front door. And even less time for her to find the key.
James knelt down, pushing the leaves of the potted plant to the side to grab the key he knew was there. He raised an eyebrow, though, seeing the same small woman from the day before at the key too.
"Why would you need that?" He asked, relatively calm and much less grabby than before.
Mara jumped at the sudden, and uncomfortably familiar, voice. She clutched the key close to her as she started backing away, not answering his question. She was still too scared of him for that and she obviously didn't trust him.
James saw Mara trying to back up to get away, moving his hand behind her and blocking her exit.
"You seem a bit small to be able to reach the keyhole, after all." He reached out with his second hand, taking hold of the key to pull it out of Mara's arms.
Mara actually managed to glare up at him for that comment. “I don't need someone like you to tell me that.” she said, moving to keep the key out of his hands.
"Then why bother with the key?" James frowned some as Mara kept the key from him, moving to simply pick her up with the hand behind her. He used two fingers to keep her still, grabbing at the key again.
“Ah! Let me go!” she shrieked as he grabbed her again and snatched the key from her.
"Are you sure? It's a long way down." James held the key in his hand now, moving to dangle Mara from his palm with just his two fingers keeping her in place. It wasn't a very secure hold at all.
“No! Please!” Mara screamed again, absolutely terrified. She hadn't noticed when he had put so much distance between her and the ground.
James hummed some, turning his hand back around so Mara was resting against his palm.
"Alright, then," he said calmly. He moved to unlock the door, stepping inside with Mara held in a loose fist.
Mara was very grateful when he leveled his hand so she wouldn't fall. But she was shaking so badly from the scare. Her breath coming in short trembling gasps. And being held by his fist wasn't helping either.
James closed the door behind him, moving to sit on the couch. He uncurled his fingers from around Mara, only to move his second hand to tilt her chin up.
"What are you, then?" He asked, looking the small woman over.
Mara reflexively jerked her head away from his hand though her fear was still very apparent. “I… I'm not sure.” she said softly, more afraid of what would happen if she didn't answer.
"Oh, come now, everyone knows what they are. Come on, what do your kind refer to themselves as, hm?" James was undeterred by Mara moving her head away, holding her a bit closer to his face so he could get a better look at the woman he had trapped.
Mara did her best to try to put a more comfortable distance between herself and her captor, even though she knew it wouldn't do much. “People. We're just people.” she answered again. “We’re just smaller than you.”
James laughed at this, head moving back some.
"Ah, yes, because Darius would go so far out of his way to keep you secret if there wasn't anything more to you. Do you take me as a fool?"
“No. Really.” she insisted, making herself look up at him. “I’m nothing special. I’m just smaller than people like you.”
"Mhm," James hummed, disbelieve clear in his tone. "Then what, you're his secret pet or some shit? You've obviously got something special about you for Darius to have done what he did."
Mara shook her head. “If there is anything special about me, I don't know what it is.” she admitted before looking back at him a bit calmer. “Maybe… you're just not giving Darius enough credit? He’s a very nice person.”
"He's a rich fucker, just like the rest of them," James said calmly. "It's why I don't feel bad about using his stuff- he has plenty of it, after all. Everything's handed to him on a silver platter."
Mara tilted her head slightly, not understanding parts of his comment. “What does being rich have to do with the way he is? And why is a silver platter important?” she asked in confusion.
James let out a low breath.
"It's a figure of speech. It means he's never had to work a day in his life, not for real. He can do whatever he wants as long as he puts enough money to it."
“Oh…” Mara nodded, taking his answer with a grain of salt. He obviously knew the phrases he was using better than she did, but considering his treatment of her and his attitude…
(Small boop)