Reed ignores the shit show unfolding around him. Focuses on the kid alone. Something is...off here. Something's not right. He can recognize the guilt on that little face.
So, the Garden Gnome presses the boy for more information.
Softly, now. Trying to be soothing: "Jason, you OK? You want to tell me what's going on?"
Moving Outside to it's own thread! http://nwod.org/forum/showpost.php?p=14444464
The voices of the family and the harrassed workers, fade into the realm of white noise, repeating what they'd already said, with different vocabulary. Circling back to the family wanting to watch the dog that had bit their daughter, to die. To make sure it happened. To make sure that they're baby was safe. While, insisting that Jason wasn't in Reed's arms, and was right behind them.
Jason, wide eyed and gulping down spit, stares at Reed.
"I don' wanna be here." the boy repearts, tugging at the jacket and squirming once more in Reed's arms.
I'll need a Manip + Persuasion roll
It's hard. Trying to connect with this kid. Because of what Reed has been through. What it's made him. What it's taken away.
It's hard connecting with anyone. Not being bitter. Spiteful. Being open.
And it's doubly hard because of what Reed has left behind.
Jason reminds him of another little boy. A little boy that used to call the Wizened 'Dad.'
But Reed tries. Really tries. To make the kid feel comfortable. To make him feel safe. To make him feel like he can share.
"Jason, listen. I know you don't like it here. I don't either. But I promise nothing bad's going to happen. Why don't you just tell me what's going on, OK?"
3 successes
Jason's frowns, and swallows, eyes wide and hesitant.
"You're...you're not gonna believe me." he says, his eyes swirve to his parents, but their backs are to him. It was like Reed adn Jason were in their own little world, a small slice of silence. "I...I made a wish." he chews on his lip. raising the hand he'd kept opening and closing. Showing his palm. There was a scar, an indent of doggish teeth, circling something that looked like a thorn. "...and it came true."
"Try me," Reed says with a smile. It's warm, and a little sad. "I believe in all sorts of things."
"What kind of a wish?" Though Reed is starting to get the idea. Maybe something to do with his sister... Reed resists the urge to glance at the rest of the family, keeps his focus on Jason.
The scar and the thorn...Yes. Things are getting weird. Or Wyrd. Whatever.
"Did the dog do that?" Seems like their missing dog-son has been wheeling and dealing ironside.
All in all? Not good.
Just for clarification, is this thorn embedded beneath the skin? Or is it sticking out?
"I...wanted to do what I wanted. No bedtime. No curfew. No brushing my teeth and chocolate for dinner!" he exclaims, a smile blooming, before it withers. "But...." he looks back to his family. Focused on their daughter, the gauze covering her head. He shakes his head, scrunching down in on himself again.
"Yeah. It was a dog. And...it talked." looking up at Reed, eyes waters but mouth firm. He didn't expect to be believed, but he was trying.
Sorry for being unclear! The thorn is embedded under the skin.
"Well who doesn't?" Reed replies playfully. Or as close to it as he gets. He even gives the kid a conspiratorial smile.
"But..?" the Wizened echoes, making it into a question, leading Jason on toward revealing what, exactly, had happened. The familiarity of this back and forth, the way he falls so easily into a Father-like role, is disturbing to Reed.
But there's no turning back now. The boy's experience could help them find out what Dog-Hob's been up to. And speaking of the mutt, Reed doesn't say anything about the talking part. When it comes to things best left unsaid? Neither confirm nor deny.
"But....they." He looks back at her folks, "They don't notice me. At all. Only her. I thought it would be good, but." he sniffs, "The dog bit my sister, and now I'm invisible. And when you put me down I'll be nothing to you too!" he cries. Big fat tears roll down his chubby cheeks, he sniffs again and tries to clean up his face with the back of his had. "I made him bite my sister!"
"Shhhhh," Reed replies, "It's alright, Jason. You're not nothing to me. We're talking right?" He brushes away some of the kid's tears. "We're going to figure this out, OK?" He's not sure if that's true. But Reed's decided to try.
"Was that part of the deal, biting your sister? Did you ask him to do that, or was it his idea?" Trying to feel out the pact this boy made with the dog-hob.