Gloria + Caspian, Oct 22-23

Oct 22 23:31:49 <Knave>	She had started from the top down. Gloria liked starting at the top. Normal people called their friends, or checked their room. Normal people knew where their friends live. Normal people did not stalk corridors, occasionally falling to a four-limb prowl, in search of their friend. Eventually, on the ground floor, the monster found her prey, her glowing amber eyes lighting on Caspian. She lumbered up to him and grumbled like a millstone, "Hnnnn- hey."
Oct 22 23:37:04 <Cezar>	She would come across the boy, curled up on the ground in a corner, keeping away from the light as much as possible. The floor around him was drenched with water, and at this point, the water covered his tears. He looked up at Gloria, shaking
Oct 22 23:38:37 <Knave>	Gloria's eyes made it harder and harder to stay out of the light, bringing their constant glow over him as she stepped closer. After a moment, she squats down beside him. Her unreadable face hovers beside him until she intones, "What's wrong?"
Oct 22 23:43:33 <Cezar>	He stopped for a moment and let the water fall off of him as he reached for his board and marker. 'Afraid. Hiding.' He wrote to her. Caspian did a helluva job making sure the board didn't get wet. Since Gloria was here, he sat up more, but kept his position.
Oct 22 23:46:09 <Knave>	Gloria's face - partially out of its hideous form and partially out of her attitude - always looked like it was contorted with hatred and rage. For the first time Caspian has seen, there's a second where the flash of her eyes and the set of her stony features makes it look like she /really/ means it. "Afraid of who?" Gloria had learned while she was alone, watching people, that it was usually a who rather than a what. Nothing was as scary as people.
Oct 22 23:48:54 <Cezar>	'Dragon.' He wrote. 'Don't fight her. Please. Don't cause trouble. She will think it was from me.' Because Caspian was probably sure that Gloria might be able to take on a dragon. He hugged his knees a little bit and just bit his lip. Yeah, he was seriously afraid of Quiln. To the point where he mimicked any small animal.
Oct 22 23:53:00 <Knave>	Gloria shakes her head. "Not looking for a fight." Slowly, carefully, she places a reassuring claw on Caspian's shoulder. Her grip is very firm, and she is slightly forcing him not to crumple up too much. The effort to talk built up again, she growls, "But if there's gonna be a fight, I'll have her." Her grip, stony-sure and strong as hell, is notably inhuman - there's none of the natural movement that comes with shifting of balance, nor any variation in pressure from her fingers. It's like being comforted by a vice. "You're safe."
Oct 22 23:55:31 <Cezar>	He shut his eyes for a moment longer before he slid over to Gloria and wrapped his arms around her to feel safer. The corner, not as safe as it felt in the arms of someone who might protect you. Caspian pressed his face into her shoulder and did his best to just feel better about the moment.
Oct 22 23:57:34 <Knave>	Gloria is, again, momentarily stunned by the hug, then lurchingly moves her arms to rest against Caspian's back, her hands balled into fists to keep her claws from catching him accidentally. "I'll keep my eye out for you. If she's anywhere near you, I'll be there."
Oct 23 00:05:34 <Cezar>	Gloria would feel a wetness on her shoulder from his cheeks. His arms were tight around her. He was feeling better, at least a little bit. He pulled away and went to write on the board again. 'Thank you. I don't want to be hurt.'
Oct 23 00:10:57 <Knave>	Gloria's arms slowly fall back to her sides once Caspian leaves them. "You won't be hurt." She says with a slight nod, a little gravely. The serious attitude seems to bring her image together somewhat - it's less grotesque and aberrant, more coherently intimidating and proud.
Oct 23 00:15:21 <Cezar>	'It was Quiln. the dragon lady. She got angry at me when I just wanted to ask her something. I tried to apologize, but she threatened to burn me and eat me.'
Oct 23 00:18:01 <Knave>	Deathly seriousness flashes across Gloria's face again. For a moment, it looks as if her slit pupils just vanish into the amber glow of her eyes. "Next time," Gloria seethes, "She says anything like that," She pauses to make a ragged stony sound, "I rip her jaw apart."
Oct 23 00:20:14 <Cezar>	Caspian shook his head. 'I love you for offering it. But no. Don't hurt her. The person who loved her is someone I care about.'
Oct 23 00:22:38 <Knave>	"She doesn't get away with threatening you again." Gloria says after a few moments, bile in her voice. "She hurts you, I hurt her." She lets out a haggard breath, like a handful of rocks thrown down a cliffside, "If she bothers you, just tell her she isn't the only monster that goes here."
Oct 23 00:24:58 <Cezar>	'You are not a monster. You are my friend. Don't put yourself at her level. I know you can be better than that.' He wrote. Caspian looked at her as if he meant it. From his soul.
Oct 23 00:25:56 <Knave>	Gloria folds her arms slowly and shrugs. "Know /you/ know that. Doesn't matter what /she/ thinks about me."
Oct 23 00:31:48 <Cezar>	'I don't want you to get in trouble, Gloria.'
Oct 23 00:32:38 <Knave>	"I won't have to finish anything if she doesn't start it."
Oct 23 00:35:44 <Cezar>	'She will. She can't control herself.'
Oct 23 00:41:10 <Knave>	"Then she shouldn't be here." Gloria growls, "If she can't keep herself from hurting people, someone else will have to, won't they?"
Oct 23 00:42:56 <Cezar>	'She is doing better, though.' He wrote. 'She would normally have hurt me when I talked to her but she controlled herself and told me to leave.'
Oct 23 00:43:56 <Knave>	"Well done, her." Gloria sneers, her arms folding tighter with a grinding noise, "Forgive me if I don't clap."
Oct 23 00:45:40 <Cezar>	'I know she was mean to me, but I still want to be her friend. She was only mad because ot was my fault.'
Oct 23 00:46:39 <Knave>	Gloria tuts and shakes her head.
Oct 23 00:47:40 <Cezar>	'Sorry.' He looked down bashfully. 'I just wanted to ask her a question.'
Oct 23 00:48:06 <Knave>	Gloria grumbles, "Exactly. Not your fault."
Oct 23 23:20:13 <Cezar>	'Do you want to go somewhere?' He asked her, giving her a still somewhat sad look.
Oct 23 23:21:04 <Knave>	Gloria stays silent for a few moments, then glances upwards. "...Roof?"
Oct 23 23:24:16 <Cezar>	Caspian thought about that for a moment before nodding.
Oct 23 23:26:03 <Knave>	Gloria hesitates, then her hand fastens around Caspian's wrist and she pulls him behind her as she lurches down the corridor and up the stairs to the roof. She's definitely trying to be gentle, but halfway up the first flight gives up on the friendly gesture, realizing she's just more likely to snap or cut him with her awkward movements and her sharp claws.
Oct 23 23:28:52 <Cezar>	Well, he certainly doesn't mind the grasping of the arm. He trusts her a lot. Maybe too much? When she let him go, he just kinda hugged her arm. Lightly. Not like a child, but since he defied gravity, it was really easy to pull him along. He was pretty much weightless.
Oct 23 23:31:10 <Knave>	She doesn't shake him off, and the little grumbly gravelly noise that comes out of her throat in response almost sounds comfortable. She pulls him out onto the roof of the dorms and towards the edge, sitting down just beside it rather than over it like she normally does.
Oct 23 23:33:31 <Cezar>	Finally, he let her arm go when they reached her destination and floated in the air a little bit. He grabbed the side of the roof and pulled himself to sit in the edge. It wasn't all that easy to actually sit. He levitated, really... so... he couldn't exactly sit. Caspian looked at Gloria with a smile once he settled.
Oct 23 23:36:09 <Knave>	Gloria's face twitches in an attempt to smile back, then settles back into its eternal scowl. She just nods. She shuffles next to him, letting her clawed feet hang over the edge, and pulling up her knees inside her dress to her chest. "Hrmmm." She intones.
Oct 23 23:37:35 <Cezar>	Caspian leaned into her a bit when she shuffled next to him. He looked over and grabbed his board and marker in case he needed to talk. Or... write, rather. 'Thank you.' He wrote to her.
Oct 23 23:40:32 <Knave>	"Dun' mention it." She mumbles hoarsely. She settles in place, resting a claw on the rooftop behind her to lean on, then nods to herself. "I take care of my friends."
Oct 23 23:42:41 <Cezar>	'You are the best.' He said with a smile, showing it to her. 'I wish there was a way I could help you. Or make you feel better. Maybe like me more.' He still thought she didn't like him as much as he liked her.
Oct 23 23:44:42 <Knave>	She reads, then looks down, clawing lines in the roof under her hand. "You don't have to do anything." She says to the floor, then after an awkward halt, "You're okay."
Oct 23 23:47:45 <Cezar>	'It's not about that. I want to help you. You helped me.' He wrote. 'I will feel better if I can do something for you.'
Oct 23 23:48:50 <Knave>	Gloria shrugs, and stares off at the skyline for a bit before looking back at Caspian. "Don't know what I want."
Oct 23 23:49:30 <Cezar>	'Then what can I give you?'
Oct 23 23:51:06 <Knave>	Gloria makes a low, monotonous hum, then says after a moment, "I'll think about it."
Oct 23 23:52:03 <Cezar>	Caspian nodded and hugged her. He didn't care if she looked like a monster. She was his friend!
Oct 23 23:54:10 <Knave>	Gloria ponderously pats his arm. Yes. She was his friend.
Oct 24 00:03:27 <Cezar>	~Scene Hugged~