The Happy Inquisitor: A Restaurant

[Part Of The Narrative she/her]

1 minute ago, Just-A-Stick said:

She winced, trying to silence the voices screaming in her mind about a trap. Ashe hesitantly reached out and took his hand. 

Kaladin was relieved when Ash allowed him to help her up. She seemed to have calmed down a little. He led her to the door and relaxed his grip on her arm, though he kept physical contact in case she tried something.

[Just-A-Stick she/her]

1 minute ago, Part Of The Narrative said:

Kaladin was relieved when Ash allowed him to help her up. She seemed to have calmed down a little. He led her to the door and relaxed his grip on her arm, though he kept physical contact in case she tried something.

A tiny sound came from behind them, and Ash ducked reflexively, trying to scurry away, even though it was only a cremling.  

Edited December 23, 2023 by Just-A-Stick

[Part Of The Narrative she/her]

2 minutes ago, Just-A-Stick said:

A tiny sound came from behind them, and Ash ducked reflexively, trying to scurry away, even though it was only a cremling.  

Kaladin inhaled sharply. He remembered being like that, scared, terrified, jumping at every noise. "It's okay," he said softly, sliding his hand down her arm so they're palms settled together. "You're safe.

"I know what it feels like. Anything might be a trap. You can't trust anyone, because they might end up hurting you."

Kaladin held his breath, unsure how she would react to his confession.

[Just-A-Stick she/her]

3 minutes ago, Part Of The Narrative said:

Kaladin inhaled sharply. He remembered being like that, scared, terrified, jumping at every noise. "It's okay," he said softly, sliding his hand down her arm so they're palms settled together. "You're safe.

"I know what it feels like. Anything might be a trap. You can't trust anyone, because they might end up hurting you."

Kaladin held his breath, unsure how she would react to his confession.

A tear slipped down her cheek, making a soft splash on the floor. "I don't feel safe." 

[Part Of The Narrative she/her]

On 12/23/2023 at 10:17 AM, Just-A-Stick said:

A tear slipped down her cheek, making a soft splash on the floor. "I don't feel safe." 

"I know," Kaladin whispered, holding her gaze. "I know."

[Wierdo he/him]

On 12/23/2023 at 5:26 AM, Just-A-Stick said:

 

Quote

oh, you know, stealing it from off the floor

 

[Just-A-Stick she/her]

On 12/24/2023 at 9:09 PM, Part Of The Narrative said:

"I know," Kaladin whispered, holding her gaze. "I know."

"What happens now?" She asked softly 

[Part Of The Narrative she/her]

9 minutes ago, Just-A-Stick said:

"What happens now?" She asked softly 

Kaladin shook his head. “I…don’t know.”

[Just-A-Stick she/her]

18 minutes ago, Part Of The Narrative said:

Kaladin shook his head. “I…don’t know.”

Ash was silent, not meeting the man's gaze. She looked at the floor, scuffing her toe in the dirt. 

[Part Of The Narrative she/her]

1 minute ago, Just-A-Stick said:

Ash was silent, not meeting the man's gaze. She looked at the floor, scuffing her toe in the dirt. 

Kaladin’s thoughts were going a mile a minute. He couldn’t know what was wrong with Ash until he tested her more. Although…he didn’t know how he would go about it. It’d been like she was possessed or something. 
 

“Have…you ever visited the Nightwatcher? A long time ago?” he found himself asking. He immediately knew it was the wrong thing to say, but he had to find out. 

[Just-A-Stick she/her]

1 minute ago, Part Of The Narrative said:

Kaladin’s thoughts were going a mile a minute. He couldn’t know what was wrong with Ash until he tested her more. Although…he didn’t know how he would go about it. It’d been like she was possessed or something. 
 

“Have…you ever visited the Nightwatcher? A long time ago?” he found himself asking. He immediately knew it was the wrong thing to say, but he had to find out. 

"No....? I never been there...." She looked at him, eyes narrowed. "Why do you ask?" 

[Part Of The Narrative she/her]

1 minute ago, Just-A-Stick said:

"No....? I never been there...." She looked at him, eyes narrowed. "Why do you ask?" 

“Nothing.” Kaladin said absently. It wasn’t that…what could it be? “Are you hungry?” He asked. 

[Just-A-Stick she/her]

1 minute ago, Part Of The Narrative said:

“Nothing.” Kaladin said absently. It wasn’t that…what could it be? “Are you hungry?” He asked. 

She shrugged. "I might eat... but I'd rather have some White, or a bit of moss...." She looked at him hopefully. 

[Part Of The Narrative she/her]

10 minutes ago, Just-A-Stick said:

She shrugged. "I might eat... but I'd rather have some White, or a bit of moss...." She looked at him hopefully. 

Kaladin stared at her flatly. 
“I hope you’re joking.”

[Just-A-Stick she/her]

2 minutes ago, Part Of The Narrative said:

Kaladin stared at her flatly. 
“I hope you’re joking.”

Ash sighed, looking disappointed. "And if I wasn't?" 

[Part Of The Narrative she/her]

9 minutes ago, Just-A-Stick said:

Ash sighed, looking disappointed. "And if I wasn't?" 

Kaladin led her into the hallway. “I’m not letting you get near that stuff.  You’ll go into withdrawal for a bit but you’re tough. You’ll handle it.”

[Just-A-Stick she/her]

Just now, Part Of The Narrative said:

Kaladin led her into the hallway. “I’m not letting you get near that stuff.  You’ll go into withdrawal for a bit but you’re tough. You’ll handle it.”

Ash stopped, digging her heels into the floor looking scared. She quickly masked the feeling, glaring at him instead. "And if I'm not "tough"? If I can't "Handle it"? What then?" A dangerous glint entered her eyes and and stepped away from him, backing down the hallway. 

[Part Of The Narrative she/her]

11 minutes ago, Just-A-Stick said:

Ash stopped, digging her heels into the floor looking scared. She quickly masked the feeling, glaring at him instead. "And if I'm not "tough"? If I can't "Handle it"? What then?" A dangerous glint entered her eyes and and stepped away from him, backing down the hallway. 

Kaladin shook his head. “There is no ‘if.’ You wouldn’t have survived this long with the life you had if you couldn’t deal with some withdrawal.” He shrugged, watching her retreat. “You can try to leave. I don’t see why you would, though.”

[Just-A-Stick she/her]

7 minutes ago, Part Of The Narrative said:

Kaladin shook his head. “There is no ‘if.’ You wouldn’t have survived this long with the life you had if you couldn’t deal with some withdrawal.” He shrugged, watching her retreat. “You can try to leave. I don’t see why you would, though.”

Ash growled, but stopped looking at him angrily. "Storm you, bastard!" 

[Part Of The Narrative she/her]

1 minute ago, Just-A-Stick said:

Ash growled, but stopped looking at him angrily. "Storm you, bastard!" 

“Yup,” Kaladin said. “Storm me and storm me good for getting myself into this mess. But I’m helping you now and you can’t really stop me, can you?”

[Just-A-Stick she/her]

1 minute ago, Part Of The Narrative said:

“Yup,” Kaladin said. “Storm me and storm me good for getting myself into this mess. But I’m helping you now and you can’t really stop me, can you?”

"I..." Ash didn't know what to say. She wobbled on her feet slightly, her eyes drooping in exhaustion. 

[Part Of The Narrative she/her]

23 hours ago, Just-A-Stick said:

"I..." Ash didn't know what to say. She wobbled on her feet slightly, her eyes drooping in exhaustion. 

Kaladin exhaled softly. “Maybe you just need to sleep. Come on.” He led her down the hall to a room with a cot in it, taking her arm to steady her. 

[Just-A-Stick she/her]

2 minutes ago, Part Of The Narrative said:

Kaladin exhaled softly. “Maybe you just need to sleep. Come on.” He led her down the hall to a room with a cot in it, taking her arm to steady her. 

Ash nodded, to tired to object. She laid down, back to the wall. @Part Of The Narrative

[Part Of The Narrative she/her]

Just now, Just-A-Stick said:

Ash nodded, to tired to object. She laid down, back to the wall. @Part Of The Narrative

Kaladin watched her for a moment, then picked up a blanket lying in the corner and draped it over her carefully. He closed the door halfway and sank to the ground outside the room, resting his head against the wall. His mind was swimming, and he felt overwhelmed. For some reason he needed to help Ash. Something about her was..different. 

[Just-A-Stick she/her]

1 minute ago, Part Of The Narrative said:

Kaladin watched her for a moment, then picked up a blanket lying in the corner and draped it over her carefully. He closed the door halfway and sank to the ground outside the room, resting his head against the wall. His mind was swimming, and he felt overwhelmed. For some reason he needed to help Ash. Something about her was..different. 

Ash shut her eyes, falling asleep without her usual trouble.

She dreamed she was falling...

falling into a deep, dark pit.

She landed at the bottom, bones crunching on impact. Ash screamed as the sudden pain flooded through her body.