"I… I'm glad you got away from him, at least. It doesn't matter if you could have done something different to avoid him, he should have known not to treat you like that. I'm so sorry this happened…" Darius let his fingertips rest on the edge of the hole his head had made, quiet.
Mara finally managed to look up at him, still a little nervous. “You don't have to apologize. Something like this was bound to happen when… someone like me is found.” she said, though she wasn't very sure. “I… I’m glad I got away from him too, but I didn't really want to hurt him. I just didn't have any other choice and it was kind of a heat of the moment thing. I didn't even think it through, I just reacted.” she explained.
"It shouldn't be, though. It wasn't right of anyone to ever treat you like that. I… I'm just glad you were able to get away from him. He would have hurt you a lot more than you had hurt him if you hadn't…" Darius was seething again. He'd strangle James himself.
“I know.” Mara said softly with a small nod. It would be so easy for her to be hurt even by accident, and she knew it. She had been very lucky that she had been able to get away uninjured. Though, honestly, her ankle was a little sore… and maybe she shouldn't mention that she had been accused of being Darius’s pet.
Darius rested his head against the back of the hand on the wall edge, letting out a soft sigh.
"Are you sure he didn't hurt you in any way?" He asked, moving his head up some to look at Mara again.
“I’m sure.” she nodded. “He mostly just scared me… and he dropped me a little when I hurt him but I'm fine, really.” Mara smiled a little at him, touched by how concerned he was about her.
"He dropped you?" Darius froze, looking Mara over just once.
"I-" He took a deep breath, putting his head down again.
“It’s ok.” she assured him. “It was just a reflex from me stabbing him. And honestly, it was the reaction I was hoping for so I could get away and hide.” Mara explained. “Plus, I was still over the counter when I fell. It wasn't very far.”
"Okay, then…" Darius rested his head on his hand again. "I'll make sure this doesn't happen again, though."
Mara looked up at him and smiled softly as she stood up. She made her way over to the curtain and carefully climbed up to his hand, sitting down on the wall next to him. “Thank you, Darius… for wanting to protect me.” she said softly as she gently placed her hand on top of one of his fingers.
Darius looked up as Mara spoke to him, offering a small smile of his own.
"You're welcome, Mara…" He kept his voice small, gentle, so it didn't affect Mara. He did just want to show her things weren't as bad as she seemed to think they were with humans, but James had ruined some of that.
Mara’s smile grew slightly at his gentle tone and smile, once again moved by his consideration of her limits due to her size. Honestly, James hadn’t really ruined anything. If anything, he had acted a little more as she had expected… It was Darius who was surprising with how gentle he was and just how he treated her.
That was exactly what Darius meant. He wanted to help Mara understand that in the end, how he was treating her should be how she expects others to treat her, not how James did. The man rested his head on his head again, letting out a small sigh.
Mara lightly tapped her hand against his finger. “Are you alright?” she asked gently. It would take a long time and a lot of work to change her perspective on that. People like her had been hiding for many years and knew that the bigger people would not be kind to them if they were discovered. Most likely because they wouldn't understand and they would treat Mara and others like her as pests… at best.
Darius looked up as Mara tapped his finger, nodding some.
"I'm just worried, is all," he said. "I don't want anyone thinking it's okay to hurt you." Mara wasn't exactly… wrong, with how she thought, but Darius was more of an idealist. It would be best for Mara to live in a world where people had to respect her, no matter her size.
Mara smiled softly at his concern and nodded, understanding. “I know it's not. It's just something that can happen easily and there's not really a way to change it.” she said simply. “But at least I know you wouldn't treat me like that.”
It may have been better that way, but it certainly wasn't realistic. And Mara had known that for a long time. How could someone be taken seriously when they were big enough to fit in someone else's hand?
"Mm… And I'm going to make sure James understands he's to never touch you again." Darius offered a small smile himself, forehead going back to his hand. He knew it wasn't realistic, but still. It would be nice.
“Thank you.” Mara said softly, but very gratefully. She didn't really want to be held by James again, unless she had to which she hoped she wouldn't have to. She wasn't sure she could trust him the same way she could already trust Darius.
It wouldn't happen, of course, because James was never coming back to the apartment, let alone close enough to Mara to hold her. Darius would make sure of that. He wasn't going to let anyone hurt her.
"You're welcome…"
Mara smiled a little at him, not knowing what Darius was planning to do to keep James from snatching her up again but she wasn't worried. She believed him, however, when he told her it wouldn't happen.
Darius was very protective of Mara, even after so little time. He didn't want her to get hurt just because of him breaking into her life. And her living room.
"So… you hungry? It is almost lunch time."
Mara hesitated a moment but nodded slightly. It had still been early when James came over, and she hadn't felt like eating after he’d left. “Probably a good idea.” she said, remembering the conversation she’d had with Darius about being at a healthy weight.
"Okay, then. Want a ride..?" Darius could understand if she didn't want to, of course, with what had happened with James. He knew she could get there easily on her own, too.
Mara shifted a little as she thought it over. She knew that accepting meant faster travel and she knew that Darius was very gentle with her. He wouldn't hold her the way James did. Besides, she didn't have her hook anymore. “O-ok.” she nodded softly.
"Okay, then…" Darius lifted his head and offered his hands to her. He didn't say anything else, keeping as still as physically possible.