Ellie became hopeful hearing the sound of the distant front door opening. She felt happy that Rosie had made it home safe. That was until she heard how upset the woman's voice was. The conversation was fairly clear to her due to her large set of ears. It wasn't often that she felt much anger, but hearing how Rosie's father continued to torment her made her upset as ever. Why couldn't he just leave her alone?
At that moment, the bedroom door swung open. She moved to reach out to Rosie before the walls shook the shelf she was on as the door slammed harshly. Ellie fell quickly to the hard floor with barely any noise. It may have been carpeted where she fell, but the impact hurt nonetheless. She rubbed at her trunk a moment before returning her attention to her owner. It was easy to tell that things weren't okay. Not at all.
Rosie had to stop a moment when Ellie fell to the floor. Dear god, the toy had frightened her a bit. She had been jumpy for a few years, after what had happened… when she had been all alone, with not even a toy to comfort her.
Taking a few steps over, she looked down at the elephant a moment. Her hands shook just a touch, and she was still tearing up. She reached down, picking the toy up. She shuffled over to the bed, already clinging to her comfort for all these years. Even if looking at the elephant hurt so much now. She fell onto the bed, curling up as the sobs she'd been holding back slipped out. She buried her face in Ellie, her grip tight. No, nothing was okay now. Nothing at all.
Ellie practically spread her arms to hug the poor girl as she cried. It never got any easier to listen to or watch. She could hear the sounds of the girl's soft sobs one night as she hid away from her father as a little girl. She remembered when the girl came home from school, already upset about a rough day, her crying mostly consisting of screams. Then there was the fated day when the brave little girl had lost most of her courage. Rosie shook endlessly, her tears nearly soundless as she had been so worked up.
Even now.
Ellie remembered every tear.
After all… elephants never forget.
(I'm headed to bed soon <3)
Rosie curled up more around Ellie, a tight little ball on the bed. She, she was tired of this. She was tired of her father, her past, her life. She clutched at the toy, pressing her close to her chest. She cried for a solid half hour, and by the time she stopped she'd finally calmed down. She wiped at her tear tracks with one hand, her entire body relaxing. She looked down at Ellie, sniffling some. She loved the toy, she really did. All the memories it held for her… but there was something new there, a small sadness as she looked at the toy. She carefully pushed Ellie away from herself.
The elephant rolled onto her side, trying not to feel hurt. Ellie tried to push the feeling away that something felt different with the way her owner looked at her. Something of a deeper sadness that wasn't there before.
Usually when Rosie was finished, that was when it was time to be put away again. There was also the fact that the woman was quite busy these days too. She didn't blame her. She couldn't. Not Rosie. Rosie was perfect.
Rosie left her hand on Ellie's head, closing her eyes a moment. She couldn't look at the toy, not now. Still, she didn't have the energy to get up and put her away. She had nothing else to do this day, anyway. Not bothering to change, or eat, or do most anything she needed to to take care of herself, Rosie slipped under the blanket, pulling her hand away from the elephant finally. There was a finality to this small gesture, something that made it much, much more important then it should have been. The woman turned on her side, facing away from the toy. She turned offer her lamp, letting out a shuddering breath.
She had nightmares, that night. She was tossing and turning, dead asleep as her movements pinned Ellie beneath her chest.
Ellie had kept still, happy with the contact until it was no more. She attempted to shuffle closer to Rosie, wanting to get her attention. She should have eaten. She should have at least had something to drink to keep hydrated, especially after crying for so long. After slowly scooting closer, she saw that the woman had fallen asleep. No longer needing to be careful of her pace, Ellie stood and rested a hand on the human's back. She watched her breathing accelerate only for her to begin shifting in the covers. As the sheets moved beneath her, her plush form was tossed about in the sea of blankets. It was then that she had been completely enveloped by Rosie in her sleep. Her weight was immense, but she felt grateful to be near her owner. She could hear the quick breaths and her heart pounding all around.
Ellie simply closed her eyes, having hope that the nightmare would cease. Perhaps she'd wake up and hold her close again like she used to. There was only hope in the heart of the toy.
She could be crushed like this every night. She could have her fur go stiff from all the tears she cried. Her stuffing could go flat again from the years. It didn't matter.
Nothing else mattered but Rosie.
(XD)
It took time, but Rosie eventually shook off the nightmare with a gasp. Her eyes were open wide as she forced herself to calm down. She closed them again, sitting up. She was supporting herself with one hand, the other holding the front of her shirt. Looking down when she felt something soft under her fingers, she saw Ellie in the dim lighting. Her eyes softened, and she shifted to pull the toy close to herself. For now, it didn't matter what had happened- she needed her comfort. She wiped the fresh tears from her cheeks, sniffling some. She could see the clock said three in the morning, but she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep after this. A memory came to mind- she'd had a nightmare just like this time, but she had been so much younger. She'd been terrified of the monsters she'd seen in the shadows, clutching Ellie so much like she was now. She could have sworn Ellie had told her stories to calm down, but she knew it was ridiculous. All those memories, of her toys doing things, were just what she had been imagining.
Ellie felt her heart swell with joy as she was embraced once again, but set it aside, hearing the shaking breaths of Rosie behind her. She really did have it rough. Ellie longed to speak again and lull her to sleep with a happy fairy tale like all those years ago. But she couldn't. After that dark year of Rosie being forced to be alone, it seemed she had forgotten how they talked together every night. Either that, or she refused to remember. Sadness did that to a person. Ellie refused to say her owner was depressed.
Depression meant things had gone to the worst.
Rosie could still smile.
It wasn't often anymore, but she did!
She could be happy.
She was strong.
She…
The room grew cold despite the warm embrace all around the toy. Things just weren't the same. She wanted them to be. She watched everyone else leave one by one. Every single toy Rosie had ever loved. Gone. Ellie internally mourned for them, but perhaps she found comfort in the fact she was still here. The hurt was inevitable for the rest, but she was still here. Rosie loved her. She would always love her. And Ellie would always love her back. She could be there for her owner. There was nothing else to it. She would simply love Rosie in these moments. That's all she could do.
Rosie brushed the memories to the side. They were just dreams, just childish play from when she couldn't cheer herself up.
She didn't know how long she just sat there, her body growing cold without her blanket as she held her elephant close. She didn't want to, not really. She refused to admit something was wrong, too. She had the money for therapy, of course she would with the family she came from, but… going would admit something was actually wrong. No matter what her friends said, she couldn't- couldn't do that.
Eventually, Rosie shifted. She slide to the side of the bed, Ellie still held securely in her arms as she got up. It took her a few moments, her body refusing to cooperate. Finally, her feet touched the ground, the carpet soft and squishy. She stood, putting her feet into her slippers as she shuffled off towards the kitchen. She didn't quite know why she brought Ellie with her- she was probably just lonely, or needed something that had always made her feel better. She just wasn't sure if that last part was true anymore.
The first thing Rosie did was get a glass of water. She pulled herself up onto the kitchen counter, putting the glass to her lips. She took a moment, fully convinced she wasn't actually thirsty, but when she finally started it was like a vacuum had opened in her stomach. She drank quickly, so much so small rivulets of water rolled down her chin. She got another glass soon after, finally slowing down when she had the third one in a row. She held the half drank glass in one hand, Ellie in the other.
(Eeeee able to write scenes because you yourself have experienced it so many times is just- just wonderful! ;w;)
(aaa i feel that but please be sure to take care of yourself!)
Ellie blinked a moment. She was being taken outside of the bedroom! When was the last time that had happened…? Definitely months. She wasn't even sure how many though. Did the amount equate to years yet?
The toy got a good look around the rooms Rosie took her through. It was almost like a breath of fresh air. Being in one place for so long felt stifling despite her hesitance to admit it.
As Rosie hoisted herself onto the counter, Ellie felt herself get jostled in the crook of the woman's arm for a moment. She felt some relief knowing that her owner was drinking to stay hydrated. Perhaps her mental wishes had somehow been sent to the human holding her. Each gulp was heard from behind, almost worryingly fast. As the water dribbled from the cup, Ellie felt her head become wet. It was even at the point where a few droplets rolled down her forehead. The cool air made her head cold, but it was nearly nothing compared to the warmth she felt at being held. Rosie's going to be okay.
(Do worry, I am!)
(Also, wanna join a support group for people who deal with my pantheon? It's a casual thing that's a lot of fun and is gonna get interesting <3)
The apartment was simple, sparesly decorated. From the walk to the kitchen, it was easy to see the living room and as the closed door at the end of the hall. The kitchen itself was small, but functional. Unlike the young Rosie, who had loved to collect and cover ever inch of wall she could, now it was as if she just didn't have the energy to try. The only decorations out where the generic ones that had been there when she had moved in, in the same spots, where they would stay until she moved out, and the few things her friends had given her as a home warming when she moved out.
Rosie eventually set her glass down, using the inside of her wrist sleeve to wipe she chin off. She glanced down at the toy in her arm, a small, weak smile coming to her face. She wiped the water off of her elephant, and for the moment she was able to forget what she had learned about her mother. She slid off the counter, still holding Ellie in one arm as she rummaged around for something to eat in the refrigerator. She wasn't low on food, far from it. It was just that, like the water, she didn't feel hungry.
(Uh, okay. Not really sure what you mean but let's do it lol)
The home seemed to have quite the depressing vibe to it the more Ellie glanced at it. Where were the colorful wall hangings and paintings from her old room? Not even a scented candle to make the air more inviting…
As she was looking around, Ellie felt herself turned around to face Rosie. She began to feel even more hope for the human, seeing her smile. It was something. It was real. She was hanging on. They both were. Ellie felt even better, feeling her owner's arm brush over her head, trying to sop up some of the water. It helped for the most part, aside from what had already soaked into her stuffing. The sudden feeling of gravity hit as Rosie moved from her perch on the counter. It had scared the elephant a tad, but it wasn't as if she had never felt it before. As Rosie opened the fridge, Ellie felt the freezing air hit her. She was jostled about as well while the human holding her continued to search for something to eat.
At least the woman was paying attention to her health.
Rosie was silent as she looked for food. Eventually, she grabbed just a yogurt, pulling away and closing the door. She looked around, sighing some now. She didn't want to let go of Ellie yet, but she needed both hands to eat and she didn't want to risk getting yogurt on the elephant. She finally looked around, setting the yogurt and Ellie down to grab a jacket. She pulled it on, zipping it up some. She picked up Ellie again, tucking her into the jacket before zipping it up some more to secure the elephant.
She grabbed the yogurt and spoon, heading into the living room. She sat cross-legged on the couch, grabbing the remote to turn the television on.
The elephant felt saddened momentarily until she saw Rosie move merely to grab a jacket. She seemed to smile at being picked up again, and to be nestled against the woman's chest. It felt much warmer as well. Hearing her heartbeat at a normal rate was an even better comfort. Ellie looked up the best she could without her movement being noticable. Sadly, she could only see the underside of Rosie's chin. As the human started walking again, the toy had to hang on to the sides of the jacket as the fabric swayed around her. Once Rosie stopped again to sit, Ellie noticed her grab the remote to the TV. She was curious as to what her owner would decide to watch. Hopefully something happy to cheer her up.
Rosie turned the television on, turning the volume down low. She hummed some to herself, channel surfing. There wasn't really anything on this time of the morning that the woman enjoyed, though, so she switched over to her streaming services. She browsed, falling quiet. Eventually she pulled up… a cheesy horror movie. She turned it on, settling down as she opened her yogurt, arms tucked around Ellie as she ate. Just like with the water, though, the yogurt was gone much too soon, but Rosie didn't have the energy to get herself back to the kitchen. So, she just settled down, pulling her arms out of her sleeves to wrap around herself and Ellie.
Rosie wasn't scared by the movie playing- if anything, she found it hilarious. She laughed at the cheesy gimmicks, the over used jumpscares, the bland plot. She was so much different then when she had been a child, when she had loved romance and fantasy and the bright, happy colors of the world.
Meanwhile, Ellie was terrified. People were nearly killed, and the sudden scares were awful! How could Rosie laugh at this? She felt the woman's limbs snake around her, which gave her immense relief, but it only meant more so that she couldn't escape until the movie was finished. She would be forced to watch the entire thing…
Oh Rosie… what happened to those cute movies from the Disney Channel where no one went unhappy in the end? What happened to those sappy love stories they both used to love?
Ellie internally frowned as she felt Rosie laugh once again at someone holding a chainsaw. This was now. That was then. Stars, she'd really have to get over the past. At least she was still here. With Rosie. She was thankful.
Rosie eventually laid down as she watched the movie, the jacket secure around her arms and torso as she held Ellie close. The movie was cheesy as all get out, even more than the old Disney movies she'd loved to watch as a child. She needed to watch something that would help her stay up, and a horror movie was just the thing.
When the movie did finally end on a scene of the two remaining protagonists holding and while covered in blood, one last scare of the killer coming from behind, Rosie sighed some. She pulled one arm away from Ellie, going to snag the remote again and browse her options. What to watch, what to watch…
Well, it had been a while since she had watched something lighter, and since Rosie's writer loved irony, Rosie settled on a Toy Story marathon. The woman let out a soft sigh as the first movie began, looking down at Ellie a moment. Every kid thought that their toys were alive, of course this movie had hit it so big. Rosie had believed it. The woman played with some of Ellie's fur, running her fingers over the elephant. She wasn't as soft as she once was, but the toy was still so nice to just hold…
(Swim omg)
Ellie had wanted to cry. There was so much blood. So much. And those poor people, stuck with no way out? How could Rosie watch that and laugh? She felt relief when the credits began to roll, hoping that the woman wasn't interested in watching another one. Ellie nearly wiggled in excitement, noticing the new movie that was picked. She nearly swooned at the memory of being cuddled in the midst of blankets and pillows as they watched the Toy Story Trilogy together. She supposed it was a quartet now, as the advertisement suggested. Either way, it was a good memory. The elephant was in a spot of euphoria as Rosie ran her fingers over her head. She felt so loved as the human looked down at her, still in an embrace. It was almost like her prayers were answered.
Rosie was relaxed as the movie played, humming some to herself. For tonight, at least, she was able to forget about her father, her mother, everything that made her cry. She would watch some of her old favorite movies, with her old favorite stuffed animal, curled up like she used to. Rosie pulled Ellie up some, resting her head on the back of the elephants. The woman was happy, or at least content, smiling softly. She didn't even pay much attention to the movie as she did the memories it brought up, chuckling softly as they came back.
But, who exactly listened to the prayers of a stuffed animal? Had they really just fallen on deaf ears, or something far more sinister, something with far worse in store for the small being.
(The 'I'm a hypocritical bitch' bump)
