Eleven was happy to sit in the quiet, legs pulled up, as she watched the world pass her by. She couldn't sleep, she was too excited, but she rested in her own way. She was pretty good at just turning her brain off and going into another place, she had learned it over the years as a coping strategy for when things got dull or unpleasant.
She was happy to just listen to Barty breathing, the various noises of the car and the nice feeling of the car vibrating gently.
It wasn't until Barty parked the car by the house that he realised he could have turned on music for her. Sam would have done it. Sam always liked music. Sam was the one to teach him that it could be nice to have sound in the background, but it still didn't readily occur to him. He turned to Eleven and gestured to the book and the toy. "Take your things with you, eh? We're there now."
That said, he got out of the car, walked around it and opened up the door for her to get out as well. The lights on the outside of the house had gone on when he'd stepped foot on the path. Movement sensors. Useful for them.
"Home." It was a weird thing to say and to believe but she was ready. Maybe it was home. Barty got her a toy and a book so maybe this wasn't all a trick or a test. She held her stuff tight as she undid her seatbelt and hopped out of the car.
The lights flicked on and she flinched nervously, looking around her with obvious concern. Anyone could be around, it was a little scary. But they were home. Home.
She slowed down once Barty reached the door and hesitated to step inside. "Safe?"
"Safe," Barty responded, nodding his head in affirmation. "Home is safe."
He held the door open for her and already turned on the lights inside. It was a nice place, of course. He always went for nice places. Nice places, big windows. Like Sam had apparently profiled him. Well, sue him. He knew what he liked. "Do you want to shower? The water is warm."
He remembered his first warm shower. He'd never forget all those firsts. "I'll find you clothes."
She looked around but she didn't move from where Barty had left her. She looked at the walls, at the doormat and then looked up when Barty was there again. Clothes? Showers? She tilted her head to the side. She was dirty but not so bad. The shower just made her a little on edge and in a moment of rebellion, she shook her head.
"No." She didn't like the shower, it was cold and wet. She held her stuff close, in case he tried to take it away, looking at Barty with determination. She was clean enough.
"Right. Whatever you want." Barty shrugged, determined not to make her do anything. He simply headed further into the house until he found a room that had clothes in. Might have been a girl's room before he'd evacuated the family. They'd taken most of the personal items, but evidently not all clothes, which was fortunate. He opened the drawers and stepped back, gesturing to Eleven. "You can pick stuff out, if you want."
No orders, just suggestions. "Then I can read the book to you." That seemed like a nice way to round out their adventure today.
It was a relief that Barty didn't force her. That she could just do what felt safe. She came into the room and looked where Barty was looking, eyeing up the clothes curiously. She touched some of them gently and looked for something comfortable. She found a nightie that wasn't too different from her gown in the end, it was blue and had little stars on it.
Taking off Barty's jacket, she held it out to him. Then she started to remove her clothes with no shame so she could get ready to be read to. It was nice to have different clothes, it was fun. Different. She felt like she could be another girl.
Barty folded his jacket and set it down on the bed, so that she could have it again if she wanted it. He didn't look her way, but he wasn't surprised at her lack of shame. Of course. Not as if she'd have ever been treated with enough respect before. He could try and teach her later. For now, he waited until she was finished and then smiled at her, gesturing to the book and then the bed. "Do you want to sit? I can read."
Then maybe she'd feel like sleeping. He wished he could tell her to sleep, he could see that she was exhausted. But no. No orders. Besides, he was fairly sure he couldn't have made her, even if he had wanted to.
Eleven nodded and climbed up onto the bed, feeling her eyes getting heavier as she shuffled close to Barty, wanting to see the pictures. It was hard to stay awake, all the energy started to leave her as she finally started to relax. Barty was reading so nicely and he hadn't done anything bad or dangerous.
It started simple, she leaned in close to him and slumped against his side as he kept reading. Her eyes fell closed as she started to doze off against Barty.
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no subject
She was happy to just listen to Barty breathing, the various noises of the car and the nice feeling of the car vibrating gently.
no subject
That said, he got out of the car, walked around it and opened up the door for her to get out as well. The lights on the outside of the house had gone on when he'd stepped foot on the path. Movement sensors. Useful for them.
"Let's go inside. We are home. Home."
no subject
The lights flicked on and she flinched nervously, looking around her with obvious concern. Anyone could be around, it was a little scary. But they were home. Home.
She slowed down once Barty reached the door and hesitated to step inside. "Safe?"
no subject
He held the door open for her and already turned on the lights inside. It was a nice place, of course. He always went for nice places. Nice places, big windows. Like Sam had apparently profiled him. Well, sue him. He knew what he liked. "Do you want to shower? The water is warm."
He remembered his first warm shower. He'd never forget all those firsts. "I'll find you clothes."
no subject
"No." She didn't like the shower, it was cold and wet. She held her stuff close, in case he tried to take it away, looking at Barty with determination. She was clean enough.
no subject
No orders, just suggestions. "Then I can read the book to you." That seemed like a nice way to round out their adventure today.
no subject
Taking off Barty's jacket, she held it out to him. Then she started to remove her clothes with no shame so she could get ready to be read to. It was nice to have different clothes, it was fun. Different. She felt like she could be another girl.
no subject
Then maybe she'd feel like sleeping. He wished he could tell her to sleep, he could see that she was exhausted. But no. No orders. Besides, he was fairly sure he couldn't have made her, even if he had wanted to.
no subject
It started simple, she leaned in close to him and slumped against his side as he kept reading. Her eyes fell closed as she started to doze off against Barty.