forum "I'll Love You Forever, Baby Girl..." Another OXO with Swim

Started April 17, 2021 by @Painted-Iris group

tune

Here we are @SwimwithGamers_is_married_to_Iris_now! You're welcome for making a soft title eeeee

The rain pelted her face as she ran down the busy sidewalk. Rei's face was both wet from the weather and from crying. The woman in the orphanage had gotten distracted for a single second and the tiny girl had bolted. Her breathing was eventually heavy as she had run aimlessly, having no idea where her parents had gone. Taking one last glance around, she darted into an alleyway to hide herself. She didn't want to go back to that new strange place. She wanted her mommy and daddy. Finding a box large enough to fit herself into, Rei crawled inside. It wasn't much for shelter, but it would do for a little while. Hugging her knees to her chest. the small child let a hiccup escape her lips, holding back the sobs.
She wanted to go home.
But she technically didn't have one now.

Fale didn't know what had drawn her to earth that day. She'd taken on a human form, spent the day silently observing humanity from this new position. It was… strange. Many loved deeply, even without her direct blessing, and there was pain, too. Humans were… strange. Perhaps Fale was the strange one, though- always guarded, never allowing herself to become attached. She didn't want to sentence anyone she came to care for to a life in the underworld.
When it had started to rain, Fale had sought a secluded area to return home from. In the alley, assuming herself to be alone, she turned to leave. She paused, though, hearing the faintest hiccup through the rain.
"Hello..?" The disguised goddess looked for the source of the sound, soon coming to some boxes that had been left out. Fale looked, only to see… a child. A sopping wet, distressed child. She hadn't been ready for that, steeling her heart. No. No, she couldn't get attached. She couldn't do that to this little girl. Still… she looked so sad, and scared…

Rei looked up at the sound of a voice, trying to muffle any sound. Her hands covered her mouth, mentally begging her tears and hiccups to stop. Maybe to be invisible. She didn't want anyone to take her back to that place. There were lots of kids there, sure, but it didn't feel the same. It was too late as someone was already in front of her not-very-secret hiding place. It was a woman, and she seemed very pretty. Unfortunately, she was worried about being returned to taken somewhere else that was scary. But maybe… the pretty lady could help her find her mommy and daddy…? Rei decided not to talk just yet to be sure the lady was a nice person. Her parents had told her about what mean people act like.

"Hey there," Fale said softly. She didn't get close to Rei, but she did look over the girl with concern. She was soaking wet, and she still looked scared. No, no, she wasn't going to get attached.
"Do you know where your mommy and daddy are?" Fale knelt down, resting on her knees as she spoke to Rei. She moved to take her jacket off, offering it to Rei. She looked so cold…

Rei rubbed at her eyes, taking her hands away from her mouth. She was so young, naive, and trusting. The strange lady seemed to be a good person to her. “N-no ma’am. T-they left me some place a-and I can’t find them,” she said softly. If Fale knew the girl before today, she would know this was very out of character for her to get so upset.
Before she could politely refuse the jacket, thunder echoed in the distance, causing a small whimper to escape her lips. She never liked it when it thundered, but mommy and daddy had always been there to help and hug her and make all the scary parts go away.
Why did they leave…?

Abandoned, then? This poor girl… Fale saw how she whimpered at the thunder, moving a bit closer to gently drape the coat around the small girl tucked away in the box.
"Here, why don't we get you somewhere warm?" Fale said, offering her hand to help the small child out. "Somewhere out of the storm." There was an orphanage near by, right? Was that where the girl had come from? It would be best to get her there, if she had been abandoned…

Rei looked up at Fale kindly, happy for the warmth. The jacket was quite large on her, but the comfort was welcomed. She sniffled some, finally seeming to have calmed down a little.
“Are you gonna help me find my mommy and daddy after we go there?” the little girl asked, eyes hopeful. Despite asking a question, she didn’t wait for an answer, already taking the offered hand.

Fale helped Rei out of the box, wrapping the jacket more securely around her before offering to carry the girl. She made sure the hood was up, shielding most of the rain.
"I'll do my best," Fale said softly. She knew, though, she wouldn't be able to keep that promise. This girl had been left on purpose, for whatever reason… she didn't want the girl to have to go through facing her parents only to be forced to leave once more.

Rei decided she liked this stranger. She was nice and offered to help! The girl offered a small smile before giving Fale permission to hold her if she wanted. She wouldn’t have minded walking, but being held was okay too. Rei snuggled into the jacket around her, trying to get warm again. The sleeves were longer than her arms, so they hung a little past her hands. She fiddled with them, seeming to find it funny how long they were.

Fale picked Rei up, holding the small child gently to her chest. Just like all other gods, of course, Fale radiated heat, more than enough to keep Rei nice and toasty during their walk. The sleeves would have been even longer, if Fale had been her true size, the jacket more like a blanket than anything.
Making sure Rei was ready, Fale began to walk, one hand resting on the girl's back as they moved. She… didn't want to scare the girl, so she took a few detours instead of going straight to the orphanage.

Rei’s mood seemed to improve quite quickly. She leaned closer into Fale, not questioning how someone could be so warm. The girl seemed very fond of the woman already. She eventually got comfortable in her arms, not really wanting to be put down. When it came time for it though, she would be polite and not complain. Rei gave a small hum, happy to be able to be out of the pouring rain. She frowned after a moment though, because now Fale didn’t have her jacket. “Miss, since you gave your jacket away, aren’t you worried about getting more wet too?” she asked, sounding a bit concerned. She felt silly for forgetting her own back at the orphanage. Rei had been too concerned about finding her parents.

Fale was doing her best to not get attached to this little girl. She was just getting her back to the orphanage…
"Hm? Oh, I'm okay. I don't mind getting wet. I'm glad I brought my jacket today, though, so I was able to share it with you." Fale patted the girl's back, looking up. They were almost there… how would she handle this? She'd run away once already, and was lucky Fale was the one to find her. There were humans to worry about, but there was more worried to be had in other gods…
At least Derlik had gotten better, thanks to Kye.

Fale was doing her best to not get attached to this little girl. She was just getting her back to the orphanage…
"Hm? Oh, I'm okay. I don't mind getting wet. I'm glad I brought my jacket today, though, so I was able to share it with you." Fale patted the girl's back, looking up. They were almost there… how would she handle this? She'd run away once already, and was lucky Fale was the one to find her. There were humans to worry about, but there was more worried to be had in other gods…
At least Derlik had gotten better, thanks to Kye.

Rei tried not to feel bad anymore about the jacket after the explanation. “Oh. Okay. Thank you very much, miss,” she said, smiling a little more. Once the little girl were to realize where she was being taken, she would not be happy about it. She ran away from there because she didn’t want to admit her parents were gone. The woman at the front desk who had been trying to help, had told her they weren’t coming back, Rei hadn’t let her finish the thought. There was no way they said that. But then she got lost, and found someone nice to help her look for them!

"You're welcome," Fale said, offering the girl a very small smile. She fell quiet after that, keeping the child close as she walked. Hopefully, she wouldn't realize where they were going…
Fale hummed softly, glad the girl was calmer. She looked even a bit happy…
Finally, she couldn't stall any more. Fale turned onto the street with the orphanage, making her way up the steps with the child in her arm.

Rei looked towards the buildings, and felt a drop in her stomach as Fale carried her past the cute, white picket fence. She squirmed in the woman’s hold, beginning to get worked up again. “No! No, don’t take me in there, the lady there said my parents won’t come back here! I don’t wanna go in there,” she protested, tears forming in her eyes.
At the front desk, sat a worried looking woman. She seemed to be staring back and forth from the phone and the front door. Upon seeing Fale bringing in a soaking wet Rei, she stood to her feet. Relief was written all over her features. “Oh thank the stars you found her. She ran off when I had to tell her the bad news. I didn’t get to explain that this wasn’t a bad place,” the woman said.
Rei was staring back and forth between the two adults before beginning to cry again. “You said you would help me…!” she sobbed, hands gripping at Fale’s clothing. The orphanage worker frowned softly, offering to take Rei from Fale’s arms. “And that’s what this place is, we help you find somewhere nice to live and make sure you’ll be happy,” the woman attempted to soothe. It didn’t seem to work as the child was still clearly upset.
“I’ll get her in the back and then I’ll return your jacket to you as they take her to get dry clothes. Thank you again for finding Rei.”

"I'm sorry…" Fale said softly when the child began to protest. She stepped into the building, looking up at the woman who stood. She held Rei close for now, gently patting the girl's back as she started to cry.
"You're going to get help here," Fale said softly. "This place is made to help you. I know it's scary…" Fale looked up as the woman offered to take the girl, hesitating a moment. She continued to try to comfort Rei, moving over to the woman's side.
"She was hiding in a box in an alley," she explained, voice soft. "I'm glad I found her when I did." She finally offered Rei to the woman, letting out a silent sigh. This poor girl…

The orphanage secretary frowned, not happy hearing how the girl was found. She must be so scared… Taking Rei now, she attempted to comfort the child as best she could. The tiny girl was obviously worked up from such a long day.
“Thank you again for finding her,” the woman hummed with a small nod. Rei began to struggle in her arms, but the employee was used to that, able to keep hold. “I’ll be back in just a moment.”
As the orphanage worker walked away, Rei’s sobs echoed through the room. They became quieter as they stepped through the door a moment. In the back, the employees struggled to get the child to let go of the jacket once it was off. They had to gently move away each of her fingers. Rei shivered again at the cool air now.
The secretary came back without the crying child in hand and gave Fale her jacket back.
“She’ll be safe and in good hands. Have a good day, ma’am.”

Fale watched Rei be taken be taken away, not sure how to feel. No, she couldnt get attached. She couldn't… let herself care. Couldn't let herself feel bad for letting the little girl down…
Fale took her jacket, nodding.
"Alright then. Thank you, you as well." Fale turned, heading back to the door. She pulled her jacket back on, looking up at the sky, letting out a breath. The poor girl… Fale couldn't get her out of her mind. How she'd cried. She walked away, though, tucking her hood over her head as she looked for a different alley to return home from.