forum "I'm just your toy, aren't I..?" "Please don't sound so sad, I still care about you..." //one on one with @Painted-Iris

Started October 02, 2020 by @ElderGodSwimwithGamers group

tune

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.

Ellie seemed to fill with joy. The memories were playing in her own mind as well. She remembered the days when they actually spoke to one another. After all this time, the elephant didn't dare risk it. She'd trade eternal silence if it meant being with Rosie forever. The stuffed animal practically beamed hearing Rosie laugh. It was nearly contagious when the woman laughed with her whole being. This was a step towards that.

(Thank)

This was better. Rosie was glad to be able to settle down like this, her face buried in Ellie's soft fur as she practically relived her childhood. She missed it, really. The innocence she'd managed to hold on to for so long. Longer than anyone would have expected her to- perhaps because she knew, deep down, what was going on. She held her innocence with the fear of how her life would be otherwise.

Rosie relaxed as the movies and the memories replaced her day, her nightmare, blinking slowly in an attempt to stay awake. She failed eventually, though, eyes shutting with a final content sigh, the movie playing softly in the background. Rosie pulled Ellie close, snuggling with the toy as she curled up on the couch.

The elephant could feel each gentle breath of the woman behind her. They gradually became slower and more even. She had fallen asleep. Ellie's soul filled with warmth as Rosie had seemed to have been happy before falling back asleep. The girl had laughed and smiled like she used to. And… Ellie had been taken through all of it. Just like before. The toy knew nothing could be exactly as it was, but this was wonderful as it was. She shifted a moment to get more comfortable with the very limited amount of space she had before trying to sleep as well. Well, pretend to, like she had always done. It was fascinating how her soul never needed actual rest.

Rosie, thankfully, was able to keep asleep this time, curled up on the couch with Ellie in her arms. One had to admit, it was mostly due to the stuffed elephant she was able to. It was Ellie that reminded Rosie of all the good memories from her childhood, after all, and why she picked the movies she had. She also just felt… Better, when she was holding Ellie, like she was less alone.
She sleep till morning, shifting some with a moan as she caught the sound of her alarm coming from her phone in the bedroom. She sat up, a crick in her back from sleeping on the couch.
"Mnnnn…" She rubbed her eyes, still holding Ellie in one arm. She'd have to get ready for classes soon, and work.
"Oh, bother…" A little quirk she'd picked up as a child. She'd anyways made her stuffed doll, Darling, say it, like she was British. It'd just stuck, even after Darling had been given to her younger cousins.

Ellie had been "awake" for awhile, enjoying being held. Hearing the groan from behind, she knew that her owner had finally awakened. She nearly chuckled at the expression used, remembering the way Darling used to say it. It hadn't been Rosie's imagination. The doll really had been British and often said the phrase. Ellie even remembered when said doll was given away. She had really liked her…
Darling would probably be proud to hear Rosie say it after all these years too.
Instead of lamenting the past, Ellie allowed herself to be carried along for the day. Well, for the first part of it. Rosie needed to go to school and to her job again. As she did nearly every day. She'd be patient waiting for the woman to come home. It was like… making her arrival all the more special again after she left.

(Great,, now I'm thinking it'd be interesting if the cousins came over, and now the littlest one had Darling, and she and Ellie would be left alone for a bit to reminisce and catch up and then the little girl asked if she could keep Ellie and Rosie seriously considers it and that's when Ellie realizes why Rosie has been acting strangely)

Rosie was up and about soon enough, getting ready for the day. She cleaned up a bit, grabbing a protein bar for breakfast. She held it in one hand as she dressed, Ellie sat on the bedroom table. Instinctively she picked the toy up again as she went to brush her teeth, turning on her radio and humming along to the latest earworm pop song. She snagged Ellie again after that, going to her room to grab her things. She thought a long moment, there, about putting Ellie back on the shelf. Instead, though, she settled on setting Ellie on the bed. In a flash, the woman was gone, taking off to get to class on time.

(omg swim i'm gonna die)
(I mean we can do it if you wanna though uwu)

Ellie looked away when Rosie dressed herself. It was just polite to do so. And upon being moved and brought along with Rosie, she felt absolutely honored. She was happy to have not been put away immediately. Finally as the woman collected her things, it was time to go back on that dusty shelf. The elephant stared up at Rosie when she stopped in her tracks. What was she doing…?
It was then that the human gently lowered her form onto the bedspread, head resting neatly on one of the pillows.
There was so much hope inside that stuffed animal as the woman left. She was going to be loved like she used to be.
Once she was sure Rosie was gone, Ellie stood from her spot. She wiped away her imaginary tears of joy. It was all but torture now, waiting for her to return.

(yusss)
(I also had an idea for how Rosie finds out Ellie's alive that involves an almost house fire, a dropped mug, and a home run baseball bat swing straight into the living room XD)

Rosie was gone for most of the day, at least from the bedroom. She came back around lunch time as she usually did, making herself a sandwich and relaxing there against the counter with her phone. She had to head out for work in a half hour, but she'd take some time to compose herself. After all, she worked at the family company, and her father would surely try to talk to her. She hummed some, scrolling through social media.

_{(holy fricking shit, swim-)}

Upon hearing the door open at the front of the apartment, Ellie returned to where she had been left. Just to be safe. She heard the woman who owned her hum in the other room and smiled. Her singing was always so lovely. And that said something as her ears were sensitive to pitch and sound. Then again, she was heavily biased.

(whaaat, that's what you get when you watch too many horror movies)
(Rosie is going to be apologizing so much afterward tho)

Rosie looked at the time, her humming coming to a stop. She'd need to go soon. She let her jacket fall to the counter, coming into the bedroom to change into her suit. The office was always so formal, just how her father liked it. She lit a couple of her candles before she started, enjoying the warm good and the scents she'd picked- warm apple pie and vanilla ice cream. It reminded her of home, when she'd have a feast with her few friends at a party. They had always been cut short by her father's episodes, but she wasn't going to think about that at the moment.

(yayyyy angst!)

Ellie enjoyed the sweet scent that filled the air. She remembered the exact same thing, though it wasn't as vivid for her. She would always have been tucked away somewhere or in another room. That was okay though. After Rosie was dressed, she cast a quick look at the woman. She really was all grown up. If she didn't already know where Rosie had been forced to work, she would have been more happy for her. She looked so professional… The elephant might have had to wipe an imaginary tear after seeing her like that the first time. That was… until the woman came home, more than upset.

Rosie straightened her jacket some, looking in the mirror. She had a grim look, something that wasn't unexpected with where she was going. It wouldn't be a far stretch for people to think she was going to a funeral. She did her hair up in a tight bun, looking around before finding her glasses. She didn't need them all the time, thankfully, but she did need them in the stark plain colors of the offices. At least she wasn't in a cubicle. Slipping them into her pocket, she blew out the candles gently and glanced around once to make sure she has everything.
The candles had brought her right next to the bed, her gaze falling on Ellie a moment. There is was again, that bittersweet smile that hadn't been there before. Rosie reached out and gently patted Ellie's head, sighing some.
"Wish me luck," she mumbled softly, pulling her hand away and turning to leave.

As soon as the woman turned, Ellie did just that. She mouthed a "good luck" as she had been told to. She knew Rosie would need it. She mistook the smile as one directed at where she was headed. It was quite hard working where she was. It was even worse as she knew the woman was working under her father. That cruel and despicable man. If she could, she would have stood up herself and told him what-for. But she couldn't. Her job was comfort. And she was doing a good job at it once again. She got Rosie to smile, at least for a little while.

Straightening her jacket one last time, Rosie was gone for the day again.

When she got home, it was much later than normal. She already had drying tear tracks, but she seemed to have gotten over whatever it had been already. She went straight for her room, taking her glasses case out and opening it. The address broke, clean in half. She didn't have the time to get a new pair, so she started looking around for some tape to fix them up. She lit the candles too, needing something to calm her.

(Also, I'm ready for the reveal whenever, so once you're ready for that just give the go ahead yes I intend to have it before we go to try to give Ellie away because ~drama~)

(omgggg)
(but yeah, I'm kinda ready whenever too ehehe)

Ellie had begun to grow worried. She hadn't been this late coming home in a long while. The elephant had stood up and begun to pace back and forth on the bed. Traffic maybe? No, it would have only been a little later. This was hours late. As Ellie began to think the worst, she heard the door open to the apartment. She hurried back to her original spot, somewhat relieved. Her gut feeling had been right upon seeing the faint lines of old tears on Rosie's cheeks. Darn it. What did that man do today? Stars, he had probably been mad over the way his daughter had talked to him on the phone yesterday.
The elephant internally sighed. Tonight was probably going to be one of those nights again. A mix of angry screaming and tears. That would be okay though. She was there to comfort Rosie. As she always would be.

(perfectttt I've got it all set up already~)

Rosie was growing frustrated that she couldn't find the tape, feeling like she had looked over it already but still not actually seeing it. She was mostly just frustrated in general, but she liked to think it was just about the tape. She puked her jacket off, tossing it towards the bed. A sleeve caught one of the candles, but Rosie didn't hear it fall to the bed. Unfortunately, the flame wasn't out, slowly starting to latch itself onto the blanket. Still, Rosie didn't notice, and she might not until it was too late.

Ellie watched at the flame grew. Rosie would notice. Rosie would notice. The fire's long tongues lapped greedily at the cotton comforter. Soon enough, it grew from just the edge and towards the center. Panic filled her chest as she began to slowly scoot away from the fire. It felt so warm as it longed to envelop her soft and very flammable form. Ellie shook where she lay, close to the edge of the opposite side of the bed. She had two choices. Make herself known, or make the risk of falling off the bed and be left behind in the fire.
As the embers grew closer, the elephant realized she didn't have a choice.
"ROSIE!"

Rosie had just caught a whiff of what was going on, the smoke confusing her as she turned to look. That's when Ellie called out. Rosie was shocked, to say the least, but she obviously didn't have the time to process. She ducked under the table, grabbing her emergency fire kit. She ripped it open, pulling out the fireproof blanket. In a moment, the fire was being smothered, Rosie focusing all her attention on that for now. She didn't really have the energy to deal with this and haunted talking toy at the same time, so she didn't.
She would be dealing with that soon enough, and she'd seen enough horror movies to know what she had to do.

Ellie stayed where she was, hoping Rosie might have thought it was her imagination. Okay, probably not. Rosie was too smart for that. The bed shook as the woman began aggressively patting down the bed with the fire blanket. The elephant had to do what she could to both stay away from the flame as well as not get knocked onto the floor. Well, that didn't exactly work. She had been close to the edge already, and the bed moving around made her tumble down the comforter and onto the floor. It was a harder landing than when she had fallen on the rug yesterday.

Rosie soon had the fire completely out, breathing heavily from the sheer panic that was beginning to set in. Her house had almost caught on fire, and her toy just fucking spoke to her. She had seen Ellie falling off the bed, breath catching in her throat. In a moment, Rosie was silently grabbing the metal baseball back she kept by the bedside in case of intruders, taking small, hesitant steps to peer around at the elephant on the floor. She didn't say anything, looking terrified with a pale white face and wide eyes.

Ellie fought the temptation to stay still. To stay silent. But again, Rosie was too smart to not know what she heard. She wanted to move, rub at the spot where she landed, but that also wasn't wise. The elephant was not about to give the woman an excuse to hit her. What was she to say? 'I've been alive this whole time, looking after you since you were a child?' Of course not. 'Do not be afraid?' How could Rosie not be after all these years since they last spoke? Then, she had an idea. She began to recite one of the old fairy tales she used to tell. Whenever Rosie was so worked up from crying, the elephant made up new and happy stories on the spot to calm her down.
"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful maiden most knew as 'Darling.' She did in fact have a proper name, but preferred this one as it made her feel special. It had been given to her by one of her dearest friends by the name of Rosie. The two often had adventures together, laughed all day, smiled through the night. One day, the two sat underneath their favorite tree and watched the clouds pass by. Darling had even remembered to bring a bag of sweets for them to share as they watched the sky… Upon one of the chocolates having one left, the two were such good friends that they split it in half, giggling to themselves. There were horses, hot air balloons… even an elephant…"
Ellie had to keep from giving a sad smile. She had added herself into the story in a way all those years ago, just to make Rosie smile. Ellie had always been shown favoritism. Stars, if she ever met Darling again, she'd have to thank her for the lack of jealousy between them.

(eee)

Rosie hadn't come any closer, as if she was waiting for Ellie to do something. She wanted to believe she'd heard it all in her head, that the stress of the day and the fire had freaked her out too much. She was completely ready to just… forget everything that had happened. Then, though, Ellie started talking again. She stiffened, grip tightening on the baseball bat. Toys aren't supposed to be able to talk.
Still… Rosie felt the tug of her memories as she inadvertently listened to Ellie. She… she remembered this. Whenever she was upset, she… She'd make stories like this while holding onto Ellie. But… no, those weren't the memories, that's what she interpreted them as. The memories were of Ellie doing it, like she was now.
The story was having the same effect as it had so long again, slowly calming Rosie down from the panic and fear of before. She set the baseball bat on the bed, slowly making her way to where Ellie had fallen. Kneeling down, she moved to pick Ellie up, her hands hesitating before actually touching the elephant.
"E-Ellie..?"