Numbness

[Legione Sumus]

Madison & Mackenzie

Madison giggled. "That's Kenzie. She doesn't like when I'm friendly with people."

Kenzie growled softly. But Madison continued. "This used to be our home until Nox cleared the monsters out and had to burn it all down to make sure it was all dead."

Kenzie growled louder at the mention of Nox's name. "I don't know why you trust him, he killed our parents." Kenzie pushed the button on the speaker and turned off the music and pulled Madison close. "We come here for the quiet. Even though he made it better -- safer."

Madison added. "Warmer. And we all can have our own little pockets of privacy. It's not like a real house, but at least we can stay warm and dry and no one bothers us here."

[Tatyana]

Tatyana smiled at them. Their faces were dirty. Like her they didn’t have a home. She doubted they had parents either. Otherwise they would be with them. They could be runaways, but this didn’t feel like that. ”Maddi and Kenzie. Short for Madison and McKenzie? Pretty names for pretty girls.” she said.

Kenzie seemed to be more angry than her sister. Especially after the name Nox was mentioned. The man had his fingers everywhere it seemed, but that thought didn’t keep Tatyana long as Kenzie mentioned what he had done. He killed their parents. They were orphaned and homeless because of him! Tatyana was used to feeling little, but irritation and anger were common enough to her. What filled her then was white hot rage. Tatyana kept it off her face. She didn’t want to scare the girls. So many people looked up to this guy. Did they know he was a murderer?

Kenzie did give Maddi a hug then and held on tight. At least the pair had each other. That was nice. Tatyana turned her rage down to a simmer and looked at Maddi. ”Sometimes it’s hard to want to be kind when you’re hurting,” she said, an attempt to explain her sisters high guard. She turned to face Kenzie. ”I hurt too.”

It was the first time she had truly admitted it to someone, but these girls were like her in so many ways. She actually felt comfortable saying it. The pain in her chest flared a bit, but not so much as it usually did. Tatyana kept the ring in her pocket but felt it through the fabric of her jeans.

[Legione Sumus]

Madison & Mackenzie

Madison nodded. "She's just doesn't like Nox and it makes her bitter. He killed mama to keep us safe. She'd been bitten. She'd have tried to hurt us -- hurt us all if he hadn't." Madison was sure he was telling the truth, he had no reason to lie to them. "Kenzie won't admit it, but she likes him. He teaches her to fight. He takes care of us -- what Kenzie let's him anyway."

Kenzie just grunted. It was the truth. They had seen the bite. They had seen the creatures and what they could do. It was scary, but Kenzie didn't want to beleive. He had shot her in the head. It was mean.

"I wish my mommy and daddy were still here, but most of all I wish we still had a home." Madison looked around "This isn't home. I miss having a bed, with pillows and blankets and sheets. And hot food that I didn't have to warm on a fire. It would be nice to have a tight warm hug too when I wanted one." Kenzie wouldn't let them go to the orphanage or shelters either. She didn't trust anyone. Madison just kept staying with her sister -- it was the best they could do.

[Tatyana]

Jesus Christ what the fuck is Nox!? Tatyana thought as Maddi kept speaking.

He was some sort of savior, monster hunting, dad-like guy who sleeps with one guy but loves another and murdered little girl’s parents because the mom got bit. Tatyana had no idea what to think about him now. She wanted to hate him. She knew that. But it was because she didn’t want to get drawn into his world.

Her thoughts continued. Guy isn’t even here and he’s still making me question everything. What a prick!

These girls really stirred something in Tatyana. Every word Maddi said struck her hard. She knew what they were feeling. She missed her dad, but her dad was also home for her. A building didn’t matter. He had been her stability. That’s what she heard Maddi said she’d miss.

And she wanted a hug. A warm hug. Tatyana stood then, not speaking a word until she sat down on the pallet next to Maddi. She pulled the girl close and hugged her tight. Tatyana felt her heart softening with the hug. She held on for awhile before speaking. ”Anytime you need a hug and I’m here - you can have one - okay?”

Tatyana barely kept back tears as she did it. She looked at Kenzie and gave her a smile. ”Would you like a hug too, Kenzie? It’s okay if you don’t, but I have one for you too if you want it.” Kenzie had trust issues, and Tatyana didn’t want to force her to do anything that might exacerbate that, but she wanted the girl to know she cared, and that surprised her too.

[Legione Sumus]

Madison & Mackenzie

Kenzie glared at her. Madison giggled. "Kenzie doesn't like hugs." Her arms were still wrapped around Tatyana.

"You looked sad before. You needed a hug too."

[Tatyana]

Tatyana gave Kenzie a smile. ”Its okay if she doesn’t like hugs. Maybe we can find something else for just us,” she said. She wanted Kenzie to feel included.

She gave Maddi a squeeze as she said she looked sad. Tatyana had needed a hug and she was grateful that Maddi was still hugging her. She hadn’t talked about her dad for a long time. But they had shared their pain. Maybe she should share hers too.

”I lost my parents too. Mama died when I was a baby, and my dad…” she felt the tears and wiped her eyes. ”He died two years ago. Right around this time. Christmas time is always hard for me. So yeah…I was sad.”

Tatyana pulled the ring out of her pocket and showed it to the girls. ”This is the last Christmas present he gave me. It’s very special to me. I think…” she smiled a bit despite the pain and sadness she felt. ”I should put it on a chain and wear it like a necklace. Maybe keep little would be thieves from taking it.” she tickled Maddi a little to show she was kidding. She then looked at them - making sure to take them both in. ”I know it hurts.”

[Legione Sumus]

Madison & Mackenzie

Madison hugged Tatyanna again. "I'm sorry you lost your parents too."

Kenzie watched with interest but she didn't participate. "A necklace would be nice. At least you have something to remember them by. We didn't have anything at the time."

Madison frowned "Dad lost his job, and neither of them could get one. We lost the house and then the car and then we had no where to go. We took refuge in the tunnels with the others and then the monsters came. Followed by Nox and the Ascendancy and then we had Zeke."

[Tatyana]

Tatyana held Maddi tighter for a moment. She wanted to pull in Kenzie so bad, but the other girl was harder to bring in. Tatyana understood that. It was hard for her to trust too. "I'm so sorry sweeties. It had to have been so hard for you to go through that." She turned to Kenzie. "I know - I'm lucky I have this - it's why it's so important to me."

At this point she was no longer surprised to hear Nox's name. The kids had already said he had come. She had no desire to talk about him though. It was more than likely to make her angry and she didn't need the kids to see that. She'd deal with Nox when she could and figure out what the story was. Maybe he'd actually be truthful about it. The Ascendancy popped up and she wondered why he had been down here. It surely hadn't been to help these kids. She was certain the man was just another rich asshole who cared nothing about anyone who couldn't make him a penny or two. Coming down here hadn't been altruistic. It made her happier she was allied with Zeke who was actually doing something to help these kids that Nox had made homeless.

"Well - you have me now too," she smiled and finally had an idea to help get Kenzie to open up a bit. She looked towards her. "You've been learning to fight? My dad taught me how to fight too. Will you show me what you've learned? I'd really like that."

[Legione Sumus]

Madison & Mackenzie

Kenzie stepped out of the little room Nox had built with a smile. "We can do it out here." Madison followed her sister out.

Kenzie stepped into fighting stance and waited for Tatyanna to step up so she could spar with her. She danced with the moves that Nox taught her. Both with the slow dance that he taught to Madi and the actual fighting he taught her. They were the same and she knew it. She paid more attention than he thought she did.

[Tatyana]

Tatyana was pretty sure that was the first smile she had seen from Kenzie. It warmed something within the woman. She followed the two girls out with a smile herself.  Kenzie got in a stance and she could tell that whoever had taught it - Nox as she had said - knew his stuff. It was a solid stance.  Not perfect, but Kenzie had to be about ten. This wasn't meant to be a lesson, she just wanted to know what Kenzie knew. Then maybe she'd give her some pointers.

Tatyana got into a stance opposite of Kenzie. "Nice friendly spar to see what you know - okay? Not trying to hurt, but," she said with a smirk. "You get past my defenses - you can hit me." It was a rule her father had. If she could hit him, he deserved to get hit. "Now - show me what you've got."

Tatyana would block and defend, offering advice on strikes and showing her some counters if necessary.  She wouldn't hit Kenzie at all. She planned to be careful. She definitely didn't want to hurt Kenzie. Just wanted to help her with her defense and get her out of her shell a bit.