Cherry Girl [Chernobyl/Public]

Sonya liked sweets, but she couldn't remember the last time she'd actually eaten any. She knew she could smell something...something baked, most likely, because it smelled hot and sugary. Wandering around with her hands outstretched so that she didn't accidentally bump into anything, she attempted to figure out what she was smelling. ...Although, it was mostly just a game she was playing with herself; she couldn't actually find whatever it was, because that would involve sticking her hands in the food. Which she doubted anyone would appreciate.

She was still getting used to her new home and family (who were infinitely kinder than the people she'd left behind), yet she had not been given any official job thus far. Mostly, she'd been helping out with little odd tasks. Small work that even a blind person could do.

But really, with no outstanding talents, she wasn't sure what she had to offer here. It made her a little afraid. Everyone was saying things like 'don't worry, we'll find something for you to do' and 'it's not like we're just going to turn you loose in the streets', but how long could she realistically continue staying here if she couldn't pull her own weight? It was nerve-wracking.

Like right now, there was nothing for her to help with, so she had to kind of just do her own thing, awkwardly, for a while. There wasn't going to be a show any time soon, she understood, since it was too early, so everyone was attending to their own needs. Chores, sewing up old clothes, getting washed up, rehearsing, etc. She felt a bit useless, at times like these.

Finding a table, she traced the edge of it with her fingers, wondering what it was for. The smell was stronger; she bet they sold sweets here, during the show. Something about the thought made her smile. Lost in her thoughts, she continued following the edge of the table--

--and knocked right into a large adjacent wooden pole, securely holding up the tent. Obviously, the pole was not rattled. Sonya's face couldn't quite say the same. Staggering back in surprise, she clasped a hand to her nose as tears automatically streamed down her face. A tiny trickle of blood seeped into her fingers, and in a panic, she ran around to find someone to make sure her nose wasn't somehow broken--

--and knocked right into another beam, falling over backwards this time.

...From a distance, the scene might have passed as kind of darkly humorous.

((lol I am so mean to this girl. /SHOT))

((I know you are probably tired of this guy by now--))

Cosim had been silently following the poor girl for a while (because really, how much rehearsal was needed to lift things up and put them down?), knowing that if she knew he was there, she wouldn't appreciate it, and knowing that if no one was watching her... Things like this would happen.

She was surrounded by hot stoves, dying fires, and... Tent poles.

And he doubted that if she did find someone to cry to, (as not all of the carnival had seen her inperson yet), she would get some frightened looks and be walked away from. He also doubted that she would appreciate an announcement to keep an eye out for the former blind freak who was covered in burns.

Remembering to alert her of his presence this time, he knocked lightly on one of the poles. "You alright, Sofia?" He really was not all that calm, inwardly, that he had let this happen to her. If he didn't care what she thought a all, she would havebeen carried halfway to the medic by now like a linebacker ran with a football. Then, with added precaution, so she didn't think he kept an eye on her, "Someone told me someone had hurt themselves over here..."

((lol, I could never be tired of Transi B) ))

There was a knocking sound nearby, and she was suddenly being addressed. She hadn't realized that anyone else was around, but she recognized the voice right away.

Still on the ground, lower back sore from the way she'd fallen, she clutched at her nose like it was going to fall off and choked out, "M-my nose--...!" It was all she could say before the weeping took over her ability to speak properly. She looked like a child that had tripped and scraped her knee on the sidewalk.

Really, it wasn't even bleeding so much anymore--it had just been very light damage. Most people probably wouldn't have even bleed from it, but the layers of tissues that made up her skin had been damaged from radiation. Her bones and whatnot were more brittle, too, which was why she automatically assumed the worse and thought it could be broken. ...And of course, to her mind, a broken anything lead to infection, or internal bleeding, or a chipped piece of marrow traveling to her heart and making her go into cardiac arrest-- Everything was fatal. Always. No exceptions.

((I'm always like, WHAT IF SHE WANTS TO RP CHERNOBYL WITH OTHER CHARACTERS, I AM SO RUDE-- XD))

She looked like she desperately needed help, though, for anyone normal they could have just sat up and assessed the damage.

Gently he sat her up and moved her so she could lean against the cabinets behind the counter. "Let me see it..." Not alot of blood-- being blind and moving slower because of it worked to her advantage. He pulled a cloth napkin from somewhere on the counter and held it to her nose, trying his best to reassure her.

"My nose has been broken more times than I can count and I'm still alive." He laughed. "And, if people have to pour out their blood sweat and tears to work here... Well you are two thirds away."

He hadn't seen her really cry before, but he assumed it was just from the shock of her Marx brothers-like stunt. Truthfully, he hadn't expected her to be so curious about anything, seeing as she couldn't see any of it. But he had gone by the girl's tent that morning to say hello, and Güzäl said she had already left. Information to which he almost went nuts over. It was like someone saying, "Oh, you were keeping your beloved puppy out here? Yeah, it left, it's probably suffering and lost and cold right now".

Then he took a look at what surrounded him. "Did you come here to steal some candy?" He accused jokingly.

((Secretly, I sometimes post with Cherry solely in the hopes that you'll reply with Transi. SSSHHHHHH--))

She'd tried to go looking for him, as well, that morning, but hadn't known how to go about it. She couldn't very well walk around going 'Cosim? Cosim? Cosim?' And she wasn't comfortable enough with the other people to ask someone where he was. So she'd decided to wait and see if he came to her. All morning, she'd waited, feeling more and more disappointed. Which was why now, even though she'd been injured, she felt happy about it.

Her crying had quieted down to light sniffling now, and she managed to smile a bit as he laughed. She had to wonder, though, how his nose had been broken so much (that must have been why it felt so unique...other than its size). In fights like the one he'd had with Arash...?

There was still so little she knew about him. He had manacles on his wrists, which meant he'd been arrested for something--she wasn't sure if she wanted to know what. And yet, he treated her so nicely, for reasons she couldn't conjure up. Maybe it was pity, since she was blind and burned all over. A part of her wanted to believe it was something else, but... What else could it be? She wasn't even remotely good-looking anymore; she'd seen how the radiation had claimed her body before it claimed her eyes. And they hadn't known each other long enough for it to be based on anything else...

...Right? And yet, sometimes she got the vague notion that she'd always been treated well by this person, even though they'd never met before.

When he inquired about the candy, she vigorously shook her head no, blushing and looking somewhat frightened. Of all people, she didn't want him to think that she'd take advantage of the people who cared for her so well by stealing from them.

((Same here. :I I WON'T TELL IF YOU DON'T--))

There was something about someone blind that made it easier to tell them truths. There was no way they could judge. But for some people, they were easier to lie to. And if anyone would lie to someone like her, there was no hope for the world.

Feeling accomplished when she smiled, he found her hand and placed it on his nose. "See? Although, I don't wanna ever see you in a barfight because a nose like this is not pretty. It would never suit you." he was probably scarred more than she was-- albeit for different reasons. He was riddled with bullet scars and bomb burns... He must have had a concussion afterwards because he couldnt remember any of it. Only horrifying dreams where he aquired them.

He laughed even harder at the way she denied the vice, like it was a capital offense. Watching her was a good break from the stress he endured the rest of the day. "You wanna know a secret? People steal from here all the time." Him, for sure. The regular three meals a day wasn't enough to feed the leviathan, even after going back for thirds. "But it's usually not the candy." he peered over the counter and pulled down what she was probably smelling-- a sugar-doused deep-fried bear claw pastry (though Itakshir had petitioned for a new name) and tore off a piece. Flipping her hands palms up, he dropped the warm treat in her hands. "That just means we have enough for you."

Was he aware that the sheer amount he spoke to her was exponentially greater than however much he spoke to any other? Was he aware how... How un-Cosim he was acting? Or was this the real him?

"So, how did you like your first night?"

((IT'LL BE OUR LITTLE SECRET. ...That never fails to sound creepy. :I /shot))

Barfights, was it? That answered that, then. She wasn't sure if that was good or not compared to what it could have been-- Wait. Was he suggesting that something not pretty didn't belong on her face? He had it so backwards...

Still, she couldn't help it when her cheeks felt hot.

And she wasn't sure how to react to the news that everyone stole from the pastry stand. Did that mean it was okay to...? She didn't think she would be audacious enough to, either way. Plus, as previously mentioned, they likely wouldn't appreciate her running her fingers all over the food to try and find what she wanted.

Before she could think of what to say, she felt something warm and flaky-feeling being deposited into her hands. Holding it up to her nose to smell it first, she took a small bite--and almost swallowed it the wrong way, from shock. She'd grown so unaccustomed to sweet things that it hit her like a sugar bomb. It wasn't that it tasted bad, per say, but...it struck her how poorly the freaks were fed at Mistique, to the point that she'd have such a reaction. Coughing a bit to clear up her throat, she took another bite...and another...slowly, she got used to it and was able to enjoy her first sweet in months.

"So, how did you like your first night?"

She swallowed and processed the question. Gradually, a smile spread across her face, until she was positively beaming at him. "It was the best night of my life," she said, softly, "We just had hay...in Mistique..." Piles of hay. If they were lucky.

When she thought back on it, though, she felt like she'd had even better nights. She just couldn't recall when.

((I had to go look up what a bear claw pastry was. XD What is Western food, herp derp--))

((pffft I am from Indiana-- where the state fair lasts all year and the off times are spent getting ready for the state fair XD /CARNIVAL FOOD EXPERT B) XD))

She was blushing? Over what? He watched her expression confusedly before finally getting tired of crouching and sat down in front of her.

When she seemed to like the food, he put the napkin in her hands (god knows a blind person wouldn't enjoy having granulated sugar coating the things they basically see with) and placed the rest of the bear claw on top of it.

It was a little troubling, the next thing she said. Why would they let that happen to something so beautiful? He didn't know what to say. They made her sleep like an animal, they didn't even give her shoes... Cosim was silent for a while, feeling a mix of anger and sadness. "Well... If you want anything, I'll get it for you." He meant anything. "Because after that, you deserve the world."

He had to do something. Mystique should not go unpunished for what they'd done to this girl. His girl (in his mind, anyways). His mind raced with all he could do. Arson? Another murder?

Gratefully, she finished the rest of the pastry, taking her time so that she wouldn't choke. When she was done, she used the napkin to carefully wipe the sugar off of each individual finger.

"Because after that, you deserve the world."

She looked surprised--and she was, really. Just like sweet things, she'd grown unaccustomed to recieving kindness, as well.

She wanted to hug him (it seemed like the right reaction, to her) and say thank you, but when she reached out to put her arms around his middle, all she found was air. Perplexed, not knowing he'd sat down, she took a step forward and caught her foot underneath his leg. With a squeak of surprise, she tripped over and tumbled neatly into his lap.

((pffft I have never been to a state fair. XD When I tell people that, they look at me with shock and sometimes anger. "HOW DARE YOU BE AN ASIAN LIKE THAT--"))

((I would be one of those people XD I come from a long line of cow show champions B) XD))

She was flailing her arms out...? What was that for? He was about to ask if she needed anything, until she stood up...

And tripped onto him. He didnt move her away, she could do that if she really wanted. He just situated her so she would be comfortable and it would look less awkward.

"I want to let you off on your own, but you keep proving you need someone to carry you everywhere." He laughed. With her there... It felt right. He would have no problem carrying her everywhere, really.

((Okay, I think it's safe to reply to this now. XD /was afraid of running over the new topic))

Probably the right thing to do would be to get up and move, while apologizing in embarrassment. But...this didn't feel wrong, exactly. Partly because he didn't make it seem like she'd done something wrong, but something else, too, that she couldn't put her finger on.

...That didn't mean she wasn't still embarrassed, though.

Covering her face with her hands to hide how red it was, a muffled voice could be heard through her fingers, "I...I just need to get used to...so I don't bump into..." She was being inarticulate, and she knew it. The problem was, she couldn't tell if he was joking about carrying her around or not.

((pfffft XD chivalrous B) ))

She wasn't even moving-- but yet she looked embarrassed.

He pried her fingers away from her face. That beautiful face, marred though it was. He hardly noticed the burns, they were trivial, although he did wonder if they hurt her. No, it was those eyes, those eyes he could still see A demure blue seen even beyond the white cloud. Like a sky, to him. And her golden eyelashes that bloomed out like rays of the sun. The rest of her face was so sweetly unassuming, but those eyes... They hid something amazing.

"What do you have to be embarrassed of?" He laughed. No one was around, they were all too busy with their jobs. His usually consisted of moving large things around like the poles for the tents, pulling supply caravans where they were needed, etc. And that was already done. Well, until the night shows. Then he became busy.

He thought about what she was... Well, trying to say. "I could try and find you a cane. But if you want I'll carry you. I lift three times your weight practically every day. Repeatedly." The times he had picked her up, she had been light as a feather.

((It's part of my bushido B) ))

She thought there was a lot to be embarrassed about, and not just because she'd tripped this one time. The fact that she was blind to begin with was embarrassing, and that she was covered in burns even more so. After all, not two days ago, she'd been touted as being a freak for it. ...Well, and for being 'radioactive', but she and the management of Mistique both knew that wasn't true.

She felt like covering her face again, but he was still holding her hands away from doing so. So she looked down instead while she thought about his offer.

The idea of using a cane didn't really appeal to her, so that was out. And she knew there was no way she could ever have him carry her around--not only would it be way too much to ask for, but it would also make her feel ashamed in front of the other people here. She'd look like even more of an invalid. "Maybe...you could...just guide me around, a little...?" Just by the hand would work, or maybe she could even just follow behind him. Still, it felt like an awful lot to ask for, and that she was seriously intruding on him.

"Okay." He agreed, Letting go of one of her hands but keeping the other tightly in one of his. He couldn't imagine her world. But it must have been lonely. He ached to tell her how he felt so maybe it would bring some light into her darkness but... What if it didn't? It would ruin their friendship, or whatever this was, and she would be even more distressed.

Not to mention, he had no idea how long he was going to be staying at the carnival before moving on, and if he told her and she accepted, leaving would be too difficult.

But for the time being, he would be near her as much as she needed. "But to do that I have to be able to find you in the morning. So you can wait outside the caravan, and I'll always find you. Okay?" Always. He loved the word, it reassured him. Nothing had ever been 'always' for Cosim. And it seemed like people who did have 'always' were so much happier than he. So he would give her 'always'.

"Is there anything on your agenda for today?" He doubted there was, they still couldn't find a job for her. But maybe there was something she just wanted to do. After all, she had only gotten to know the carnival for a day and a half.

Little did he know, he had already virtually opened a window for her--no, broken down an entire wall. However long she'd been with Mistique (she'd completely lost track of the months and possibly even years), had easily been the darkest time of her life. Not even when she'd sustained her current injuries was it worse than this; this was adding injury to those injuries. Putting her through daily humiliation for having them when it was in no way her fault. It had been a prolonged suffering of mental, physical, and emotional deprivation. She was actually a little surprised that she'd survived it without taking her own life--she wouldn't have been the first or last imprisoned freak to do so.

For a moment, she seemed to be lost in thought, letting the emotion sink in. Then, without warning, she embraced him tightly, with a barely audible, "Okay." How was she ever going to pay back all the gratitude she owed this man? It had only been two days, and already it felt like she would gladly do anything to show him her thanks.

Pulling away, she thought about it and shook her head 'no'. Her fingers strayed to the edge of the more practical dress she'd been given, playing with the hem of it as she spoke, "I just wanted to look around at everything..." (It might seem strange that she would use a verb like 'look', but it still applied to her. She saw through her other senses.) "If I get accustomed to it, I won't run into things so much," she explained. But her biggest fear was that they would set up things in a different way every time they moved, and she'd never truly get a sense of the layout.

...Oh, and she guessed she should really get to know everyone, but she was too shy to even want to. Especially not on her own.

He tried to track her expression, maybe to know what she was thinking, when she had surprised him with the hug. For just a moment, he wrapped his arms around her and rested his face in he hair. He my have even kissed it, but it was almost too light to be noticed. Cosim was certain he would do anything for this girl.

He was glad she couldn't see his stricken face when she pulled away from him so quickly. She mentioned looking? Somehow that made him think.

"So, what do I look like?" he was interested to see how much of his appearance in her mind was based on what she'd felt of his face. He wasn't the best looking of people. Quite frightening at first glance. Definitely an acquired taste.

((hey, sorry to interupt, but is this still public? XD I don't want to interupt your mojo so I'd thought I'd ask first. /gunned down))

((@panic: I'm totally cool with it. B) Can I reply, or did you have something in mind before I write anything? XD))

((maybe reply and we can edit for her Ayer if she wants? If she has a virus idk how long her computer'll be out of commission :/ Idk XD))

((you can keep on doing yo thang B), I just wanted to know if I could carry over the thread with Faraz and Anihara. I sort of wrote myself into a corner derp :I We need Cosim's face-crunching heart of gold to assist them /shot forever. Good news is that my mom's old computer downstairs is fine! XD I'm the only one using it to play games so I'll try to post sometime tonight, if not then tomorrow :> *fingers crossed*))

((lmao those two adjectives are so weird together XD and he is at your service B) /KARATE CHOP))

Faraz had seen the "Golem" perform before, the man was one of the Ragtag's star attractions, but the boy had never actually gotten the chance to speak to him before. The strongman was intimidating, taciturn, and scariest of all, Russian. Faraz remembered his father's outward disdain of the Russians who had taken turns with the other world powers, picking away at the man's power until he was just a shadow of his former glory. Faraz felt like he should hate him because of that, but those sentiments had to be forsaken for the moment. There were much bigger concerns at hand than ones left behind in his homeland.

"C'mon, Ani!" He tugged the tribal lady who was covered in the filthy bedsheet that was somewhat reminiscent of a chador. "I've heard about this man who has shackles, something like yours, and he broke his! He can free you!" Faraz whispered excitedly as he guided his new friend into the tents. The boy looke around, trying to locate the strongman. "Honestly, how hard is it to spot a giant--ah!" The Golem was by the snack stand and talking to some girl, apparently a blind one.

"Mister! Hey! Can you help us for a second! You help people, right? You help us, too?" He pointed to the man's broken restraints. "How good are you at snapping these?"

((Guh, I have four chapters to read, labs to finish, and a rough draft (on Peter the Great B) ...and Austria, Prussia, and the other Russian Tsars, BUT MOSTLY PETER.) to write, so after this post I will most likely not be on for the rest of today. :\ Unless I decide to take a break. /shot))

She was about to speak, to tell him how his features felt okay to her--especially the nose, which was wonderfully unique to the touch. Of course, she could not tell that his eyes always looked tired, that his hair was prematurely gray, that his expression was usually less-than-friendly...and yet, even if she could, these things did not matter to her. But before she could get past "You--", someone suddenly approached them, addressing Cosim.

Practically jumping back, face pink from being caught in such an intimate moment, she bit her lower lip and played with the hem of her dress nervously. She didn't recognize the voice of the person (a boy, she guessed, based on the tone, though she didn't know the accent), so it was obviously someone she hadn't met yet. Despite not being able to see, she managed to gravitate around Cosim to half-hide herself behind him. Maybe they wouldn't notice her...somehow...

((WHY IS AUSTRIA IN SUCH SMALL LETTERS--))

He was about to get an answer that would cement whether or not he would tell her how he felt, before it was interrupted. He'd told the whole place not to bother him after his work was done. He needed to prepare for the show... or something... he just didn't want to be bothered, really.

He looked upon the boy and the... whoever that was behind him with a scowl. (For the record, if he knew the boy thought he was Russian he would have been infinitely nicer) "What do you want." That tone carried ten times the weight in harshness compared to how he had spoken seconds before with Sonya, who he was trying to reach to pull her into the open but he suspected she would just retreat behind him anyways.

"How good are you at snapping these?"

He looked down at the woman's shackles. He wondered what she did to deserve them, and how long they'd been there. He wouldn't 'help' her if she was a real criminal. He was a hypocrite, but he had his reasons.

"Why?" He responded curtly, hoping he was scaring the boy, who should really learn some respect. And if respect came by fear, so be it. It was all the same.