Snake & Raven

The door creaks open and Thandi freezes, clutching her stuffie to her. What could be coming into her room in the middle of the—ah.

Charlie creeps in and closes the door, looking around. He looks relieved.

Thandi sits up, playing with the green and silver scarf wrapped around her toy. “Charlie?”

The boy freezes and then puts up a finger to shush her. “I just wanna make sure there’s no monsters here!!” He approaches her bedside and pushes her back down to her pillow, pulling the blanket over her. “Cuz it’s a new house. I don’t know what else lives here yet!”

Thandi blinks. She’s fairly certain that there isn’t anything harmful, at least. Ms H has been living here for a few months now. But, it’s obvious what Charlie wants, so she tugs on the back of his flannels.

“Charlie, I’m scared…” His face goes from dour to delighted.

“Don’t worry, Thandi! I’ll protect you!” He climbs into bed with her, pushing her to the wall side, and curls up facing outward. He might be actually scared. Thandi gives him her stuffed animal.

“I think it should stay with you because it has a protection charm.”

“Yeah! Okay, good night, I! Hope you have nightmares or whatever.”

They sleep curled up together.

 

Ruth, in the morning, is near panic when she sees that her son isn’t in his bed. She dashes to the room across the hall, slamming open the door only to be met with not just the pink bonnet of Thandi, but the familiar brown mop of Charlie sticking out from underneath the covers. She massages her temples. 

On the one hand, usually not a great idea. On the other, they’re twelve years old and Charlie has a big attachment to Thandi that seems to make him anxious when she’s not around. On the third hand, borrowed, it seems that he’s finally adjusting to how life should be instead of the hell that Byron threatened him with.

She lets it pass. For now.

“Kids, breakfast. Snap to it!” She watches Thandi rise and shake her boy, who pulls the covers higher with a groan. She watches Thandi take her stuffed animal–oh, that is so darling, it’s wearing his scarf!–and use it to press kisses to his face. She watches her son rise, hair sticking up everywhere, and look mortified to be caught. Ruth gives him a smile and his shoulders relax. Charlie turns to look at Thandi and they climb out of bed, him grabbing her hand as they go to the bathroom to brush their teeth.

Gods, how could Ruth stop that? She goes to the kitchen, shaking her head, waiting for her kids to come down for pancakes.