[ prp ] Hello, it's me (America & Renard)

[shibrogane]

Renard let America spider monkey onto him, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her still. "It's alright, America," he said. "I have reason to believe you're very strong in your own right, and don't require whatever that creature is to make you better than you are. Also, I am not going to let you fall. You are perfectly safe."

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

It took a moment for her breathing to slow, but in the end the girl just nodded. "O-okay, yeah of course you wouldn't. I just..I just..." She just got scared, something still obvious enough not to finish explaining. Not to waste time over.

"You really couldn't hear it, though? I think...I think Sonny might have heard something like that too. That time it'd just seemed...compelling, but maybe its attention was mostly on her."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"No," said Renard. "It was silent... as it always is." He seemed troubled. "Will you be alright if I return to get a piece of the crystal for you? I shan't let you fall while I do it, but I would rather not have you in its presence again until it is at least somewhat contained."

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

Wide-eyed America stared at Renard, shaking her head no immediately before stilling and then squeezing her eyes shut with a nod. "Yeah...you...I'll be okay for a bit." Maybe not for long, but she'd managed.

She didn't open her eyes.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Renard gave her a comforting shoulder pat as he turned to head back inside. He was only gone for moments; when he returned, it was with a handful of the opal stone. The stone was lumpy, imperfect, but beautiful. The presence within it reached out for America, pressed a hand against her soul, but said nothing.

"Here you are," he said. "Is whatever spoke to you speaking now? I may have to bind it."

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

"N-no..." America flushed, a little embarrassed that the thing spoke to her and not him. She'd done something wrong, maybe. "It's still...there's a feeling. But no voices." Opening her eyes, they fixed on the beauty of the stone and very carefully ignored the space between her feet and the ground.

"Sonny said, um...before we'd found it, that you thought he'd gotten caught in a trap set for y'alls family. Does...does this mean it's still set?"

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"I doubt it," said Renard. "You're not related to us, and it hasn't triggered on me. I suspect it was a trap specifically for Liam."

He offered the stone to her.

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

It would have shown a measure of wisdom and caution to perhaps hesitate before taking the stone, but even silent it was compelling enough to have her take it without a second thought, face brightening a little as her thumb rubbed along its side. "Thank you so much, Mr. Renard. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there." Flushing again, America glanced at the man, grateful and wondering why she'd been so afraid in the first place. She wanted to apologize for it, but couldn't figure out a way to do so that wouldn't be awkward and terrible sounding.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Renard nodded. "You're welcome, Miss Jones." He offered an arm. "Would you like a hand in returning to the other side?"

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

The girl latched on gratefully, spider monkey once more. "Y-yes please!" The extreme changes in emotion and circumstance left her feeling tired, nearly wiped for all that she'd done nothing much herself, as if this had all taken much longer than it had.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Renard didn't need to go door-hunting. He made one, and together they stepped back onto blessedly solid ground in the backyard of his home.

He eyeballed her for a long moment, and said, "Unless you have somewhere pressing to be, I'm sure Sonny would love to see you."

lizbot

and we can ftb here if you like!