The Need to Belong [AU] [Private]

Hearing this, Gary frowned. "Monday through Friday, 8 A.M - 4 P.M." He sighed - weary simply thinking about it, "there's also the hours dedicated to studying after that - which can be done at home, thankfully - but I work mornings Saturday and Sunday, as well..." Glancing at Mary, he found her still fixedly picking at her plate, seemingly oblivious to everything around her... though he really doubted that, "...finding a school for her will help but... Ahh!" He pulled at his hair, frustrated, "can she even be placed into a Japanese school this quickly? Should she be placed back into school this quickly?"

Picking at the remains of her food, Mary's expression seemed too... forced... to be truly stoic.

Avril frowned slightly at Mary's mood, though she had never truly been in a good one to begin with at least it had been more..reserved? For lack of a better way to describe it. She really didn't like seeing small children like this.

"Personally, while I'm probably the last person that should be asked about child raising I think she does need just a bit of time before school. She should feel like she's wanted, not a burden." Avril knew then it would unfourtnately fall on her to an extent. Gary almost had no choice but to trust her.

Never mind a stranger, but a monster at that. He just didn't know it yet.

At Avril's words, Gary started as he realized that Mary was still in the room, and how his words might have been taken, "Ah! Of course I don't mean it like that! To treat any child in that way, even if she wasn't family, would be nothing but an unforgivable failure on the part of the guardian." He glanced to Mary, who was still picking at her food with that too-focused face of hers, "But, you do need to go to school, Mary. I can't just home school you - time requirements aside, it's illegal."

"It doesn't matter that much..." Mary asserted quietly, expression still unnaturally neutral.

"It does Mary. You don't see it and have no reason to believe any of us, but I promise one day..you'll see." Avril said quitely. She didn't say anything much after that, she felt she had said all she had really needed to say.

"If nothing else, the government won't allow me to take care of you if I don't enroll you in school." Gary elucidated, prompting a small gasp from the reticent girl at the table. Not wanting to make the melancholy girl any more upset than she already was, Gary clapped his hands loudly to change the subject, "So! Avril... eh... san? Ms?" Immediately, he lost steam as he stumbled over how to address Avril politely.

Avril really didn't care too much what she was addressed as, far as that went. She gave a shrug. "Whatever you're comfortable and used to calling me I'll go by. I was never called san before, that's a Japanese honorific, right?" The gasp from Mary caught her off guard a bit but it wasn't too surprising.

Why did the child have to be so damned adorable though? She was practically hitting the 'protect' switch with a large metal hammer.

"I work in the mornings," He stated, "so - assuming of course that your identification and papers are properly taken care of - would you mind escorting Mary to school, when it becomes relevant?"

Avril really didn't mind doing something like that, it would be helping and she would make sure Mary was safe and sound. She wasn't entirely sure, but Avril was relatively confident she'd like children regardless of what she was originally geared for. A dream of hers was having a child and family of her very own one day but it had always been dismissed as out of her reach due to her situation. Even now free she didn't see it for herself.

Even if someone wanted to deal with her that way, she really didn't want to bring a child to the world with a mother with all her baggage. It wouldn't be fair.

"No. Not at all. Besides, I want to help and I hate sitting still as is."

Briefly she thought of her remaining surviving family but pushed it back. It would be a miracle if anyone ended up..where ever this was. She just hoped they managed to get away themselves.

Garry nodded, "Right. Well, I'll see if I can get some time off tomorrow morning, anyway, given the circumstances. I'd call now but," He glanced at his clock, "geeze, it's already evening. I knew we spent a lot of time talking but..." He sighed, "Nothing for it, I guess. So..." He felt somewhat helpless. It was still too early for the day to end, but late enough that there wasn't much point in going out and about for anything. And he definitely wasn't going to be doing anything productive on his computer right now... but at the same time, he didn't really know what to else to do with that time. It's not like he had any games or anything to entertain his impromptu guests [and one in particular] with.

Having finished her modest meal, Mary stared at him with a peculiar expression.

Avril tried to ignore the bundle of cuteness known as Mary to the best of her ability, with limited success. It wasn't too different from a firefly and a lamp, they could only ignore it for so long. "Did you need any help around the apartment, like cleaning before bed?"

"No, no... that can wait until tomorrow." He deferred, "Though I should probably, hm..." He cleared dishes off the sink before rooting about in the linen closet and coming away with bedding. "Here, my spare futon." He glanced at the floor and frowned, before starting to move the table aside.

Quietly, Mary simply watched with curious eyes.

Avril didn't want to sit around so she offered to help if she was able to, but it seemed Gary for the moment had it handled. The urge to help and move things around the house was so much apart of what she was she had to clamp it down sometimes; she suspected it wasn't just how she was made or born but apart of who she was at this point.

Though while this was going on, she decided to gently prod the ever quite Mary. "Are you feeling a bit tired Mary? You could sleep by me if you want.." Avril wasn't sure, maybe the girl would be comfortable sleeping alone, or she'd be scared and prefer to have someone nearby. She wasn't sure, but if she had to guess from gut alone Mary seemed the type that needed other people nearby and wouldn't want to be in a corner.

"Sleep..." The girl murmur quietly, looking down. "Maybe." She whispers, uncertain.


"I... only have the one extra futon, so, ah..." Gary spoke up, sheepish. "It's me or her and--" Her eyes snapped to Garry, considering, "--I'd feel better if, ah... Not to that I don't like you or anything but it would feel more appropriate if you slept with Avril."

And back down her gaze went. "...I'll try, I guess." She mumbled.

Avril liked to think she was a decent read on people, though with children they were both easier and harder at times to read and predict. Generally you could tell little things and obvious tell signs but other then that it could prove much more difficult. With Mary, she was somewhat harder to read because of how subdued her emotions were.

Without another word, she moved to the futon as if making sure it was properly prepared and inspected before Mary came to sleep nearby on it along with them. This process only took a moment before Avril rose, satisfied and motioned gently for Mary to come over so she could get comfortable. "Make yourself comfortable Mary. You're going have a busy day tomorrow, I think."

Hopefully on a more positive note. Poor thing needed it.