Azelma Thénardier is more than she seems (2ndthenardier) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-05-20 20:01:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, !trigger warning, azelma thenardier, chiba mamoru (tuxedo mask), eponine thenardier, gavroche thenardier, princess celestia, scootaloo |
Who: Azelma, Éponine and Gavroche Thénardier, Scoot, Chiba Mamoru and Princess Celestia. There's also an NPC'd appearance of Monsieur Thénardier.
What: Azelma shows up... with a little surprise.
When: Set back about a week ago, around the 15th
Where: Michiru and Haruka's place where Scoot and Éponine stay.
Rating:R as a base. TW for mention of prostitution, abuse (sexual and mental), neglect, starvation... basic Thénardier warnings.
Status: Complete!
Azelma took in a deep breath and leaned against the gate of the huge house. This was going to take forever. She knew that full well. The place was huge, her walking was slow because of being exhausted, and the pack was heavy. Add the child that was growing inside her and you have a recipe for exhaustion. Of course, that's ignoring how little food she'd had that day, that month. It had taken walking, a few bus rides, and offering head to some trucker to let her sleep in his bed in the truck to the next town to get there. But she got there. She was here.
The idea that her sister was living here was surprising and nearly unbelievable. How had her sister gotten so lucky that she was able to get here. It was here, where she could see up in the window her sister getting dressed and seeming to talk to someone that she almost didn't want to go on with revealing herself. She saw a woman leave and took the opportunity to step into the security gate and behind the trees.
What was her sister even going to do? Her father had said she was never coming back, or something to that effect. And to be entirely fair she liked it that way because she started to believe that being out of their life like this would be better. Sure, leaving Christmas morning before everyone woke up wasn’t the greatest of ideas, but it was the only time she could get for the flight out of state to start her new ‘career’ as her father called it. But when she heard wind that Éponine was staying with a racer, and rumour spread of it through shitty tabloids she had to see for herself. The child coming was just a bump in the road when it started to show more.
She pulled her shirt out and hoodie out to hide it as best she could and went to the side back door and gently tapped it. When she didn't hear anything she tapped again and jumped back when she heard a dog starting to bark rather loudly. If any time to chicken out now was it... Now was too late actually. She heard footsteps and breathed heavier looking around. How could she just show up on her sister’s doorstep when she had been gone without contact for so long.
It was really only because Ego had started barking that Éponine was even aware that there was someone at the door. It was an obvious drawback of having a place of this size, and really one that didn’t bother her all too much - it made her feel a lot safer, in a way.
Opening the door to see Azelma was... something she’d never really expected. True, she’d been searching for her sister since she’d gotten into contact with Nessarose, but... “I never thought I’d see you again...”
“Hey.. Miss me?” She faked a smile, despite having very obvious tears starting in her eyes. Some of it from missing her so much, but most was simply seeing her look well. She looked healthier, her hair was shiny like it’s meant to be, and she looked better over all. The only thing she was jealous of was that she didn’t get to see her get so well. Jealous and sad that she did it on her own.
Granted part of that... No, most of that was her fault, but she hardly could have helped it. She had to get out while she still could and it was only offering to work still for her father that he let her go off to find out who she was. “I sure missed you...”
She might’ve looked healthier, but Éponine knew that it was probably going to be a long time before she managed to actually be perfectly healthy. You didn’t easily recover from a lifetime of neglect and abuse, even with someone as amazing as Scoot by your side.
“I missed you so much... Gav has too.” Did she know that Gavroche was staying with her too? It wasn’t like their little brother made his presence obvious...
“You’ve seen Gav recently?” Shock rather obvious in her voice, out of all of their brothers, Gavroche was the one she was closest with, considering how close in age they were. She bit her lip and shifted the heavy backpack a little on her shoulders. “Does he live close? Is he safe? Are you safe here? Are the rumours true with that racer? I thought he was with Kaioh. I’m asking too many questions aren’t I?”
Azelma looked up to her. “It’s just hard to not go insane over emotion...” She’d hug her but then Éponine would feel her stomach and she couldn’t have that. Thankfully she knew Éponine should remember that touch and her do not go along well, even during their more sexual exploits their father made them do with patrons. Thinking of it made her shudder a little and repress it down even further.
“A few too many, maybe, but I think I can answer them all.” Just... not whilst Azelma was stood on the doorstep. That’d just be awkward. “Come in? Easier to talk when we’re sat somewhere comfortable.”
“Okay...” She stepped in and kicked off her sandals and the socks off because dirty before dropping her pack beside them and groaned. She tried to stretch her arms and shoulders out and managed to keep her hoodie poofed out enough to hide things. Thankfully. Azelma followed her in through the house which was nice and bright and cheerful. Looked like a proper home and not where they grew up. “So fancy. Living the high life now?” She teased.
Azelma jumped when the dog came up and whacked his tail on her leg and gave the goofiest grin. “Hello to you too.” She sat on the couch and the dog put his head on her leg and just gave big eyes until she gave in and started to pet and mess with his ears.
Éponine shrugged. “It’s fancy, I guess, but... the high life really isn’t for me. Too many people stuck up their own asses.”
At least Ego seemed to like her already. That was definitely a good sign. “He can be pretty picky, you know... didn’t think he’d warm so quickly.”
“What’s his name?” Patted down to gently pat his shoulders. “And how old is he anyway? He’s big...” She liked dogs, okay? More than ca- Suddenly felt something hairy brushing against her cheek and a loud purring. “Do you have a zoo?” Looked at the cat now perched on her shoulder. Sure it was pretty but she wasn’t a cat person, never really a huge dog person either. Sure she liked dogs more than cats, but her real love were birds.
She eased down into the couch and sighed, the tiredness hitting her the moment comfort was put into the equation. She could stay awake if she kept moving, kept going. But being sitting and in a nice area that seemed relatively safe she felt the exhaustion creep up.
“His name’s Ego. He’s about five months old.” The big was obviously just because of the breed. Collies could get pretty big, especially if treated right. “We just have a lot of animals. You’ve seen how big the house is, so...”
“Yeah, animals are nice though. They give companionship.” She arched her brow when he flopped down onto her feet and just seemed to go to sleep, the cat moving to her lap. “And what in you decided to name him Ego?”
“I’m not the one who named him!” True, Éponine hadn’t tried to stop Scoot naming him Ego, but the puppy’d enjoyed the name too much to deny it.
“Who did if I can ask?” Tried to hide the jump in her eyes when she felt a firm kick to her spine. It’s going to take her far too long to get used to that. And by then the kid will be out and kicking other people.
That was enough to make Éponine concerned, even if Azelma did a fairly decent job of disguising it. Now wasn’t the time to ask, though. “My boyfriend. He lives here too... and before you ask, no, he’s never hurt me or tried to force me into anything. He’s different.”
Azelma gave her a look all the same. “Promise? I mean... Just. Yeah. You have to triple dog swear or something because...” Sighed, men she just couldn’t get over in a romantic sense. How she even thought to do it was beyond her.
“He’s saved my life, Az. You’ll never have anything to fear from him.” Scoot just didn’t seem the type to do anything terrible. Sure, he had his occasional less-than-perfect moments, but he tended to make up for them fairly quickly.
Azelma still would have to see him... when she was not covered in probably five layers of dirt and sweat and possibly semen, she’s not sure. She looked to her and ran a hand through her hair. “I need to bathe before we go on... Its been four weeks or so since my last one. In fact four weeks today because I left Oregon for here on foot that long ago.”
Had she walked the entire way? Thénardiers were hardy, yes, but... that was more than a little out of their usual spectrum. “You can use the bathroom in the spare bedroom. You can even stay here for good, if you’d like...”
Éponine had no intention of letting her little sister slip away from her again. Once had been bad enough.
“For a few days maybe before deciding.” She was handed a towel and stuff for the bath along with a nightshirt of Éponine’s to switch into before being shown the bathroom she could use. She shut the door and drew the bath before stripping down and letting her hair down from the ponytail it was in. Azelma paused to see herself in the mirror to the side and let out a heavy sigh, running her palms down and up before just shaking herself out of it and got into the bath.
She actually managed to get her hair washed and the start of her body before the warmth and the comfort of the water made her slip into sleeping. She tipped her head to the side and the shower poof floated up to her shoulder and she napped for quite some time. Well, time for being in a tub of course.
It was obviously inevitable that Éponine would come in to check on her. True, she’d given her a little more time than usual, considering how dirty she’d been, but she’d rather overstepped that now... she opened the door carefully, relaxing a little when she realised she’d just fallen asleep.
Of course, that was before she noticed a certain something else. How had she managed to hide that...? “Azelma...”
Panic mode set in for a second there, having been startled awake and she sat up and looked for something to protect herself with. When she focused and came to reality she looked up to see only her sister and sighed for just a moment before remembering she was, in fact, naked and not hiding what she meant to be.
Azelma bit her lip and just looked up at her with an unsure face. Unsure of how Éponine would react or how she should react. When she did speak, it was obvious she felt ashamed. “I’m sorry.... I can explain. I was hungry and neither ofushadoneandIwasjuststarvingandhewasnic
“Azelma, calm down... it’s okay.” Éponine wasn’t going to judge. She knew, all too well, what things could be like with certain ‘clients’ - they were there to be taken advantage of, and it was all too easy for them to take that to certain terrible levels. It wasn’t exactly like they could protest. “Let me help you. That’s all I ask.”
“I was going to tell you... eventually.” She finished washing up before wobbling out of the tub and grabbed the towel. Once properly out and more than confident she wouldn’t fall over, she made quick work of drying off and getting the shirt on to hide it to some degree. Azelma turned to face her sister again, chest heaving up as she tried not to cry or feel too scared. She can’t really help it.
“I never thought one of us would... get the chance.” Éponine knew there was very, very little chance of her managing it, considering Scoot was quite a unique sort of man, but... that was besides the point. “Do you know how far along you are? Even roughly?”
Azelma thought for a few moments, trying to remember how long ago it was. “Maybe getting close to six months? I think...” Ducked her head into her shoulders and pushed her head down. “Considering it was my nineteenth birthday that I did with the guy.”
Well. That was... something. At least it meant that they were past their usual ‘danger zone’ - being away from their father probably had something to do with it. “I think this means we need to start getting things prepared for you.”
“No. You don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine.”Looked around quite frantically whilst trying to decide whether to change and run or just run. “This is my problem. I messed up and caused this and now I have to deal with it on my own. It’s what being an adult is about, right?”
Éponine shook her head. “I’m your sister, Azelma... it’s kind of my job to help you and care for you when you need it.”
“No I can do it on my own. Dad said I had to do it on my own or else I had to come home. I mean had to just be an adult on my own and earn a living and send him so-” Quickly covered mouth hands over her mouth because she knows full well Éponine is not going to be too pleased at that information. “I’m sorry. Forget I said that. Please just forget it.”
“...Azelma. No.” Like hell was Éponine going to forget something like that. Their father had no right to have that much control over her... “Starting today, you don’t do anything for him. You do things for you, for that baby.”
The poor girl shook her head and looked down to the floor “No.. N-no... I can’t do that. Can’t do that. I’m supposed to behave and do as I’m told. Be a good daughter and listen.” And of all times for her to hear the front door open and a man’s voice call out.
“Éponine! I’m home!” Looked around for her and shrugged. “I got what you needed to make dinner!” Ran a hand over his neck and went in search for her and when he came to the door and blinked. “Showering, babe?” Opened the door to see the two and he became very obviously confused. “Uh.... Who that?”
“Scoot, this is my sister. Azelma, this is my boyfriend... and I promise you, he won’t hurt you. He never would.” Éponine wasn’t going to mention the wings, considering they were fairly obvious... and damn-near impossible to explain. “You’ve got nothing to worry about...”
“Get him away! I want nothing to do with him! With any man. Get him AWAY!” She didn’t mean to be this panicked, it was not something she could control at this point. She suddenly grew very confused when he nodded and backed away.
“Alright. Éponine has my number, when you feel safe enough for me to come back, I will.” Ducked down so that even though he was quite a few feet away he was still lower in posture, and in turn the submissive one in the situation. “It’s going to be okay. I know Éponine will take good care of you.” Looked up to his girlfriend. “Éponine, have her sleep in our bed with you tonight just for a start. I can sleep in the spare room or further if it will be better. We can still text. I love you.” Smiled then looked back to Azelma. “And I bet I’ll grow to love you too, okay?” With that he turned and headed to grab a few things he’d need.
Azelma just stared. It had been that easy? He just left like that? No anger, no questions asked? She quickly looked up to her sister to make sure that actually happened.
This was just proof that Scoot was as amazing as Éponine said. He’d had enough experience with her and Gavroche to know just how to react to things like that. “You okay? If he’d known you were here, he probably wouldn’t have come in... he knows to keep his distance.”
“He just... Left when I screamed at him to. Just like that? I don’t understand...” Even standing the exhaustion is getting to her quite a large amount and she started to swoon but caught herself on Éponine’s shoulder.
Éponine was quick to move to keep her supported, not wanting any harm to come to her. “He’s a very understanding guy... do you need something to eat? Or do you just need to sleep?”
“I... don’t think I could actually chew anything right now.” She held on tight and finally, after this long of seeing her she let herself cry and actually act her age. “I’m so tired... And scared. I don’t know what I’m going to do.” Let out the most pathetic noise and pushed her head onto just above her chest.
It broke Éponine’s heart to see her sister like this. She gently held her, just lightly rubbing at her back - she could still remember how to soothe her, even after... however long it’d been since they’d last been together. “I think I know something that’ll work. No chewing necessary, just... a drink.”
“I guess that would be okay...” They walked to her and Scoot’s bedroom and she climbed in and let out the most contented and satisfied noise ever. Their bed was so comfortable, what the hell?! She pushed her head into the pillows and burrowed herself into the blanket while she waited for her sister to return with whatever she got for her.
Of course their bed was comfortable! Éponine’d honestly had enough of uncomfortable beds, and Scoot had apparently realised that when he’d gotten that one - it’d been before she and Gavroche had moved in, so.
It didn’t take her long to make what Azelma needed and come up with it. It’d do her good, she had no doubts about that. “Az? Here. It’s a protein shake.”
“Don’t bodybuilders drink those?” Upturned her nose and hoped it wasn’t chocolate. She liked real chocolate just not chocolate milk or anything like that. She was weird like that okay?
It wasn’t that weird, really. “It works for people like us too. People who need just a little something to keep their bodies working... and it’s not chocolate. I know how much you hate that.” Éponine was, clearly, an awesome big sister for remembering that - it wasn’t something that’d come up often in the past. “It’s strawberry.”
“Oh... In that case okay.” She pushed herself up and took ahold of it and began slowly drinking. As it hit her stomach it became harder and harder for her to not just drink it down rapidly. But she managed only barely. It wasn’t too long before it was finished and she handed her the glass and curled up into the blanket.
“Would you mind if I called you a doctor? That racer and his fiancée have a private one, and they let Scoot and I ‘borrow’ him from time to time...” Yes, another man, but there wasn’t much of a way around that. “I just want to make sure you’re okay...”
“...He follows the whole oath doctors have to take?” Looked at her a little worried, mostly because a man, but she can’t really help that fear. When she did the prostitution she always detached herself from any emotion or feeling for protection so they can ‘get their money's worth’, before going off to cry silently to herself every time in a hotel if she can afford it or one of the various shelters.
“He does. He’s insanely gentle, even for a doctor, and does genuinely seem sorry if he makes you uncomfortable.” Mamoru was one of the best men that Éponine had ever met, it had to be said. His girlfriend was a lucky, lucky woman.
Azelma pushed her head onto the pillow. “I guess that’s okay... Just let me sleep please. Can you... hold me? Is that okay or am I too old for that?” Tipped her head slightly and pulled the blankets higher up over her shoulder.
“You’re never too old for that...” Éponine was quick to move onto the bed, gently tugging her sister into her arms. Honestly, even she still needed to be held at times, and she was the oldest of the five of them.
“I missed you so much, big sister.” Held tight around her and pushed as close to her as she could despite the obvious other growing thing going on. She heard her phone start to ring and she cringed. It was their father... How did she ever forget to send the money order? Oh well really, she was happy in her sister’s arms. For only a few minutes before she started to pull away to answer it when it rang the third time and before her sister could stop she answered. “I’m sorr-” Suddenly yelling and every swear word in any book.
Which was Éponine’s cue to take the phone off her. “Leave her alone. Or I swear to God, I’m going to destroy you.”
She wasn’t sure how she’d manage it, not in the slightest, but nobody treated her little sister like that. Not even their bastard of a father.
Éponine was met with being called a traitor to the family and that she needed to learn her place and Azelma just went to gather the $600 she was meant to send to him. Money she was not allowed to spend on anything but a little of it to send it by way of the money order.
“Az, don’t. Stay here.” Éponine wasn’t letting her sister out of her sight. Not now, and certainly not for a long time to come - maybe it was overprotective, but she didn’t care in the slightest. “I’m not the one hurting my own flesh and blood. I’m saving them, saving her, from you... and that’s the place I need to be at.”
Scoot had not meant to be eavesdropping, but it’s kind of hard to ignore the sound of three phone calls. He moved by the door to hear talking and the conversation Éponine was having to have just got him angrier and angrier as it went on. He opened the door and walked past Azelma and took the phone. “You listen here, you bastard and a shitty excuse for a man. You better watch your back or I swear there will be a knife through it. You put your own children through hell and still expect them to go tooth and nail to the end to serve you? That’s bullshit and abusive and I think you fucking know it. You know it and enjoy you sadistic psychopath.” He’s pissed and Éponine should very much see it in the tensing of his neck.
He continued to argue on with the man on the other end. At one point he was told he could send goons out and he outright told him that was a suicide mission for them because of the security and mysterious vigilantes that tend to show up when bad things happen.
Azelma watched with confusion and a slight fear of what her father could do. It was a shock that someone was defending them. That a man was defending her. She looked to Éponine as if asking if this was all for real.
Éponine simply held Azelma closer, more concerned with her sister’s well-being right now than anything else. Scoot was right, really - mysterious vigilantes seemed to flock to this house whenever anything bad seemed imminent. Sure, their fashion sense was a little... odd, but she could hardly complain.
“Told you he’s a good man...” If not the best man. There weren’t many people out there like him.
Scoot went on like this for five more minutes or so before telling him where he could shove his own head then threw the phone hard onto the tile floor of the bathroom, the phone shattering to pieces. “Azelma. I’m going to go out later tomorrow and get you a new phone, with a new number and I want Éponine to continuously check history and such to make sure you’re not getting in contact with him. This is only a request for you safety, not an order. Please don’t confuse that.” He went over to the drawer and took one of the extra meds for just in case for his anger before moving to gently kiss Éponine. With that he grabbed his wallet and keys and decided to go out for a little while. If only to get a few things she’s going to need.
Azelma just looked rather frightened. Not at what Scoot said, but what would happen if she didn’t contact their father. “Éponine... I have to send him that money. It’s the only thing keeping it so that they can keep food stamps to keep our little brother’s eating at least a little bit.”
Éponine bit her lip. This... wasn’t the easiest of decisions. She didn’t want to put their brothers at risk, but... feeding into their father’s system of abuse wasn’t a good idea. At all. “We can’t let you, Az. We’ll find a way to help our brothers, okay?”
“I just don’t want them to go hungry... It was bad enough with us. At least with us we could get enough food earned that would could share or give them our share. I don’t care what happens to me, just they need to be okay.” Started to cry again.
“Azelma... you have someone depending on you for safety right here, you know.” There wasn’t really a delicate way of putting this. Not that Éponine’d ever been much good at that sort of thing. “Let me worry about our brothers. You... need to focus on yourself, and your baby.”
“But it’s not born yet... Our brothers are. They’re more important right now. How can you say for me to not worry about them. We raised them. WE TOOK CARE OF THEM!” Whimpered and began trying to actually hit Éponine, for no other reason than just frustration over the fact she couldn’t do better, and was never good enough for anyone in the family no matter how much she listened and now she was being prevented from doing even that.
Éponine caught her hands, making sure to keep her grip fairly loose and gentle. It wouldn’t do to trigger her all the more. “I have a lawyer. She’s been working on it for a while now... our brothers will be safe, and with us, before too long. I believe that much.”
She just began to sob rather helplessly, hacking and gagging as she began to make herself ill from it. She was not expecting this and nothing short of knocking her out was really going to fix this bad of a state without professional help.
Actually it’s not long into the melt down that her body decides to shut off for the night and she went limp against her. Her breathing is still rather erratic, but she is breathing so it only means she is sleeping now. Being pushed close to her means Éponine can actually feel the slight kicks of protest from the baby for Azelma for being so emotional.
There wasn’t much that Éponine could actually do for her, so it was probably a good thing that she’d ended up passing out. This definitely meant she’d have to contact Astra, though, just so she’d have someone who could help her when things got like this...
She gently pressed a hand against her stomach, just to try and help soothe the baby. “It’s okay... I’m looking after her.”
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When she woke up it wasn’t until late in the afternoon the following day and she was alone. It wasn’t until she heard water running that she realised it was just her sister getting cleaned up and she relaxed. She let out a little sigh and just rested back down. As she thought on the happenings of last night a sudden wave of nervousness crept up at the idea of having to see the Doctor. Azelma bit her lip and sat up and put the pillow behind her back and just began looking at her stomach. Éponine having said what she did brought a little light onto the situation. It hit her that by ignoring it she was already being a terrible mother and a wave of regret nearly overwhelmed her. Was she just as bad as their mother for this?
It was a good thing that Éponine had practically been done in the bathroom before her sister woke up. When she stepped out, it was probably less than five minutes afterwards. “You really needed that sleep... I’m sorry if I woke you up.”
When she stepped out it would be to Azelma holding her stomach as if trying to show affection and silently sobbing to herself. She startled to focus when she heard her voice and looked up to her, the guilt obvious on her face “I’m just like her and the baby isn’t even born yet. Just like her...”
That was enough to make Éponine come right over to her, sitting beside her on the bed. “You aren’t. You’ve just not had enough time to focus on yourself... and on the baby. It’s their fault, nobody else’s.”
“I love it... I do. I want it. But I’m going to be terrible. I... I...” Whimpered and just bent forward, nearly hugging her stomach. She’s terrified of messing things up, of doing something wrong. Most of all she’s afraid of being alone during it, despite knowing that her sister will be there. She looked up when she heard the door open and her eyes lit up.
Gav had heard from Scoot and ran right to their room so he’s rather out of breath but he doesn’t care. “Az... Is it really you?” When suddenly her running to him and tackling with the biggest hug ever and her squealing his name.
Okay, that? That was kind of adorable. Éponine couldn’t keep herself from smiling, just a little. “It’s really her, Gav... and I think she’s glad to see you.”
“How have you been? When did you escape? How long have you been with Éponine?” Kept hugging really tight and kissed his cheek and more hugging and ah! She missed her little brother a little too much.
“I’ve been okay, I escaped a while ago because they kicked me out, been with ‘Ponine a couple of months now I think. I missed you so much.” Gav held tightly around until pulling away to look down. “Whoa wait a minute... You’re? So does that mean I get to be an uncle?!”
Priorities! At least it was a good reaction, Éponine supposed... “He also got arrested on the first day he was here. He’s doing a lot better now, though.”
“YOU DID WHAT?” Gave him a glare and folded her arms. “How the hell did you do that?!
“I sort’ve took a girl to the movies, saw three movies, only paid for one. Then decked a security officer.” He said sheepishly and rubbed his neck.
“Please tell me you’re still not seeing her?”
“That was a long time ago. He’s not really got anything to do with her any more.” Honestly, it was a miracle that Éponine hadn’t tracked Thea down and implemented some kind of innovative and terrible revenge.
“Good... Because I’d have you break things off with someone who actually insists and doesn't try and stop you. Only someone who has your best interests at heart, even in the face of causing an argument, is who you should be with.” She kept her arms folded and gave him the stare of doom.
Gav just sighed. “Éponine already gave me that speech. I’d rather not hear it again” Heard the door being opened and looked out. “Oh, Chiba and Astra are here, sis.”
“Who...” Azelma stepped back and started to panic.
“It’s okay, Azelma... it’s the doctor I told you about and our therapist. She’s used to dealing with Gav and I, so... I thought she might be able to help you too.” True, Éponine still had a lot of issues, but... things had started sorting out once she’d started seeing Astra.
“I... just let me... Get dressed. In something at least.” She looked around the room before seeing a weird set of three piles. Each pile have three different things. One was of three pairs of loose fitting lounge pants, one was off just t-shirts with cute print on them and a tank top,and then another pile with three sets of maternity type pajamas. On it was a bow with a white envelope. Azelma, curious as ever, walked over and picked it up. She pulled the card out and on the front was just a red rose but when she opened it there was a note.
Hey there Azelma. I know it’s going to be hard to trust someone after everything you’ve seen and been through. I know it might even takes several years. But I’d like to get to know you, to figure out anything I need to watch out for. I’ve cared for your sister, and your brother. And I promise to care for you and the little one you’re carrying. I know I’m a stranger, and strangers can mean terrible things. But those terrible things are not me, and they are what I plan to keep you safe from. As long as you are here, with your sister and brother and myself, you will be safe. You will get help, food, shelter, and anything you would ever want or need. There are things I want to have happen in the future with your sister, and I don’t plan on letting her go any time soon because she is the greatest thing to ever happen to me. And getting a family with you in it with your brother is a very nice idea. You take as long as you need. I’m a patient man and only want to help keep you comfortable and happy.
-Steven.
After reading it she looked over to Éponine, asking if she’d read it yet.
Honestly, Éponine hadn’t even noticed it before. She’d had other things on her mind, seemingly more important things. “What is that? Something from Scoot?”
“Y-yeah... Here.” She motioned Gav to leave so she could change into the lounge pants and the tank top with the big koala on it before handing the card to Éponine to read while she grabbed a brush to look somewhat presentable.
Éponine couldn’t help but smile as she read the card. How could Scoot be so perfect sometimes? Amazing, amazing man... “He really wants you to like him, I think... that way, I guess we’d be like a family. A proper one.”
“Doesn’t he have a family?” She asked rather innocently, thinking he must have to be so patient.
“Just us, really. Haruka and Michiru are technically his guardians, but...” Éponine wouldn’t explain it in detail. That was for Scoot to do, not her.
“Oh... Okay” She pulled at the hem of the shirt a bit frustrated with how much she was showing. It’s something she’ll have to get used to and maybe even become proud of. It was her body helping something live. Sure to some women it wasn’t what they wanted and it was their choice... but for her, and her life, she never could. She wanted this baby. “So... Can I have them come in at the same time. Therapist might help keep calm while doctor does... his thing?”
Éponine nodded. “She’s used to things like that. They both know the value of keeping us calm.”
“Okay then.. They can come in.” Even if she’s grabbed a pillow to cling to. It’s something that’s a security thing. She doesn’t have her bear anymore so a pillow will have to do. She watched her sister get up and go to the door and wave them in. When they stepped in the first thing she noticed was oddly coloured hair but set it aside, and the guy seemed clean cut and to be honest none of her patrons were ever of East Asian descent so... Might be a win in his favour.
And naturally, it was Astra who spoke first. Éponine had made it more than clear that Azelma might have issues with men, so... “You must be Azelma. I’ve heard a lot of things... and don’t worry, nothing too terrible, compared to what I’ve heard about your brother.”
Humour helped, it had to be said.
“I guess...” She ducked down lower into her shoulders. “But yeah.. My name is Azelma. My brother isn’t bad. He tries really hard and when he puts his mind to it he can be a very hard worker. And he’s good and coming up with creative stuff and how to make sweets out of an easy bake oven we got at a thrift store for three dollars.”
“He’s a lot better than he lets on, isn’t he?” That was something Celestia had quickly come to learn. Underneath the bravado, Gavroche was more... sensitive, really, and cared more deeply than a lot of other people who came to see her. “Now, Mamoru here needs to check you over... would you be comfortable with that, if we keep talking?”
Azelma bit her lip harder and gave the man a quick glance up then looked at the bedsheets. “I guess it would be okay. As long as he doesn't touch too long. Or... Yeah It’s okay.” Took in a deep breath despite the fear that was obvious behind her eyes. It was for the sake of the baby right? She looked up to Mamoru and let out the breath. “I am about four foot six . I last checked my weight about two months ago, one hundred and two. Could be less more now thanks to this one.” Pulled the pillow away.
That was enough to make Mamoru fairly concerned from the outset. “That makes you underweight... but that’s something we can work on. I’m helping your siblings with the exact same thing.”
He made sure to make his checks quick, never letting his hands linger too long on any one spot. Éponine had a tendency to try to bite him or slap him if he did that, and he’d been quick to learn to avoid it.
Each time he touched she had to resist the urge to flinch away too far, she couldn’t exactly help it. Azelma looked to Astra with obvious terror in her eyes because of being touched so many times. Not specifically at it being Mamoru, just in general. The lady said they were going to keep talking!
Well, yes, they were! Astra had just felt it impolite to whilst Mamoru had been talking. “I don’t think you all being underweight is that big of a problem. Certainly a lesser thing than your mental health.”
“I’m fine mentally... Really. I just don’t like being touched much. And if I have to I can shut off all reaction and just go numb. It’s easy.” She bit her lip and jerked away when Mamoru touched at her neck. The only place she was ever grabbed by their father.
“Sorry about that.” One place for him to definitely avoid, then.
That really did rather prove that Azelma needed help, at least in Astra’s eyes. The girl was just as bad as Éponine had been when she’d first started coming to her, if not worse. “That’s not really a good way of going about things. You’re meant to be able to enjoy life, not have to shut yourself off like that...”
“Shut yourself off keeps you safe, keeps you from getting hurt.” Azelma continued to flinch even more now. “Are you done yet, please be done.” Sure she figures he still needs to check on the baby but there’s only so much she can handle before she started to get a little panicky.
“We can take a break. I’ll need to check on the baby before I leave, though...”
“Sometimes, we have to get hurt to be able to live life to the fullest.” It was one of those fun things about human psychology. Unpredictable and strange as the human mind could be, some things were universal. “We have to take risks, have to do things we never usually would... and mostly, it ends rather well.”
Ignoring what Astra was saying, Azelma moved over to cling tight to Éponine. Her shoulders were shaking a little and she couldn’t help but let out little whimpered noised under her breathe. She had always been Éponine’s little shadow throughout their time growing up, so could anyone really blame her?
Éponine certainly couldn’t. She instinctively held her sister closer, lightly running her fingers through her hair. “It’s okay, Az... I’m here, you’re safe...”
“Promise?” Pushed her face against her chest and reached around to hold at her shoulders. “I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t. Dad told me not to.” Azelma pulled back just enough so that she could look up at her.
“We can’t do everything dad tells us to do...” Of course, Éponine would say that, considering she and Gavroche hadn’t exactly been the most... co-operative of children. “But I promise. As long as I’m here, you’ve got nothing to worry about...”
“But I... What if I don’t want to stay here.” Of course Azelma wanted to stay, she never wanted to leave her sister’s side. Her mind is simply going down a course of what ifs that really shouldn’t be answered or thought of.
“Please, Az. Let me help you.” Hell, even if Azelma honestly wanted to leave, Éponine wouldn’t let her go without a fight. She’d been without her for too long, after all, so like hell was she letting her slip away from her again. “Everyone here is on your side. Believe me.”
Azelma shoved herself back against her, even closer than before if it were possible, and tucked her legs up. After a short while she could feel the occasional kick to her hips and she pulled away to look down. “Good morning...” She let out a sigh and looked to her sister. “Staying here and getting better would be the right thing to do as a mother?”
Éponine nodded. “This baby’s relying on you... and I know you can do this. I know you’re strong enough to do it.”
The girl dropped her head and covered her eyes, mostly because yet again she was crying. How could Éponine have so much faith in her when she wasn’t even strong enough to tell their father that enough was enough?
Because that was what Éponine’s job as her big sister was. She held her as close as she could, rubbing lightly at her back. “It’s okay to cry, Az... just let us help you through this. Let us help you become you again.”
“That’s the thing... I don’t know if I was ever a me to begin with. I don’t know who or what I am. All I have is a name to who I think or know I am. And even then the name does not sound right. I become whatever name they wanted. Whatever fantasy they wanted no matter how violent the context. My only limit was no actual marks because... I was always meant to be the pure little princess if anyone needed it. You remember dad saying that, don’t you?” This is good, very good for her to talk to. It’s rather obvious that Éponine is going to have to be there with her for several of the appointment with Astra or else they will get nowhere.
“You were the innocent one, the rest of us were... lesser.” Éponine wasn’t going to go into the exact wording. She had with Astra, yes, but that’d taken several sessions to coax out of her, and she’d not said anything about it since. “I’ll never understand why he insisted things had to be like that.”
“All I did was do as I was told because I didn’t want to get hurt like you guys. I tried to tell you that. That if you just listened and did what he said you wouldn’t get hit. But... Then the one time you tried he got mad at you for it. And it never made any sense. And mom just sat by and watched.” Looked up to her. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get daddy to stop hurting you. I’m sorry.”
Éponine bit her lip. She didn’t like talking about things like this at the best of times, and this... well, it wasn’t exactly going well, was it? Not for their mental states, at least... “I think no matter what we did, we were doomed. I think he enjoyed punishing us for ‘misbehaving’, even when we tried our very best...”
Clearly, this was a perfect moment for Astra to intervene. She knew the tensing in Éponine’s arms well enough to know what that tended to precede, and she’d rather avoid the two of them getting hurt. “This is why I’m here, Azelma. I can talk through these things with you...”
“Not without Éponine... I need her.” Held tight, much like a little girl would when extremely frightened and being needy. But at least she was talking to her, that was what mattered. She felt another strong kick and groaned, feeling herself a bit ill. But only because she had only that protein shake to drink the night before. “Éponine... I’m really thirsty...”
“I’ll come with you as long as you need me to.” Éponine had been to a few of Gav’s sessions, and vice-versa, so it wasn’t like it was anything too out of the ordinary. “And I’ll get you something to drink. Any preferences, or...?”
“Do you have milk? I haven’t had milk in months. Not easy to get when you go from shelter to shelter really. I’ve had enough OJ and apple juice to last me five lives.” Azelma was relaxing a little, this was a good thing.
“I’ll be right back.” Éponine pressed a kiss against her forehead before getting up. Milk was certainly doable, thanks to Scoot’s tendency to ridiculously overstock the kitchen, and maybe a little something else... what was it that Azelma had become so fond of?
Oh yeah. Blueberry poptarts. Handily enough, they had some in, so that was something else she brought back up to her little sister. “Here you go, Az.”
And the noise she made was a mix between a squee and a noise of contentment. “Thanks!” She sat up and drank down about half the milk before starting to nibble on the snack. It had been far too long since she’d had one. She took in a breath and looked to Mamoru. “What do you need to do to check the baby?”
She seemed calmer now, which was... probably a good thing. It’d make Mamoru’s job easier, at very least. “I need to just... well, it involves putting pressure on your stomach, if that’s okay? And I have an ultrasound machine if you’d like to look...”
“Really? I mean... Yeah I’d like to look. And I guess it’s okay. My stomach is a safe area after all.” Azelma took another bite, this time a little larger and chewed with a smile on her face. An actual smile.
That was more progress than Mamoru had honestly been expecting... and in a way, it even surprised Éponine. All the wonder of your sister getting you something you loved, maybe? “I’ll still make this part of it quick. Don’t want you getting uncomfortable.”
She took another bite before sitting up and leaning against the pillows. Having seen enough movies where the woman had to get one, she knew she had to lift her shirt enough to show her belly, and her pants down just above the pubic line. Sure that made her a little uncomfortable but sometimes babies sat low and he had to get a good view. Sometimes that meant going lower. “Okay... The poking go quick work of. But I want to see him or her as much as possible. Can you tell gender now or not?”
Mamoru nodded. “Providing we can get the angle right, and the baby’s not being a pain, we should be able to tell.”
“I bet he or she will be.” Giggled softly. “Thénardiers can be royal pains in the ass when we’re meant to be somewhere.” She watched as his hands moved towards her stomach and tried to resist the urge to flinch back.
“Take it easy, Az... he’s not going to hurt you.” Even if Éponine could understand why she’d want to flinch away. God knows that she’d done the exact same thing when he’d first touched her there, and she may well’ve actually punched him...
Azelma looked to her sister before nodding. She let the air out of her lungs and just relaxed, reminding herself that there were plenty of people to beat his face in if he did anything wrong
True to his word, Mamoru made quick work of that particular part of things. Despite her being underweight, things... didn’t really seem bad at all. They could certainly work on the weight thing, of course, so it wasn’t too great a concern for him. “Alright. Ready to see if we can see this little one?”
“Yeah... I’d like to make sure he or she or... whatever is okay and growing the way it should. I’ve been taking those vitamins! I knew I had to take those. Even if I didn’t always eat.” Ducked her head into her shoulders.
“Your sister can scold you about that later.” Mamoru got the little device from where he’d left it, coming back over to her once he’d gotten it a little set up. It’d reduce the amount of time he had to mess around, so... “This might feel a little uncomfortable to begin with, okay?”
“Okay...” Azelma bit her lip and nervously began pressing her nails into her thigh to focus herself, and old habit. She never drew blood, never went that far, but it was enough to cause a pain that she could focus on that wasn’t in her head.
Whilst Mamoru set things up, Éponine gently took Azelma’s hand, squeezing lightly. “Focus on me, okay? Something a little better for you...”
Squeezed back and tried to focus on the touch and not what was going to happen. “You’re okay that I just showed up on your doorstep? This seems like it will be a lot of stress on you that you don’t need...”
“You’re my sister. I couldn’t have been happier that you turned up.” True, the baby wasn’t something Éponine had put into that equation, but it was something she was fairly sure they could cope with - they had enough spare rooms in their side of the house, and Haruka and Michiru seemed to love helping... “Means we can go back to traumatising Gavroche together, right?”
“Heh, yeah. Think we can still get him to make that face?” Giggled softly and stopped to look rather shocked. It was the first time she’d laughed in damn near a year. Azelma brought a hand up to gently hold over her lips and looked up to Éponine.
It’d been even longer since Éponine had last heard her sister laugh. It was a surprise, in a way, but definitely a good one. “Glad to know that face still amuses you so much.”
“It’s funny! His nose gets all squished up.” She giggled again, then looked when Mamoru said her name. “Yes?” Tipped her head to the side wondering what he needed.
“I’m actually ready to start now. Is that okay by you?” Yes, Mamoru was set on asking her before he did anything. He knew the Thénardiers well enough to know that was usually a pretty sensible step to take.
Azelma couldn’t even begin to express how thankful she was for that. If he had just started it may well have set her off. She kept hold of her sister’s hand and nodded. “Sure, go ahead. Do I look at the little screen now, or do you have to find it first?”
“Let me find them first.” The searching tended to be pretty uninteresting in comparison, after all... or maybe that was just in Mamoru’s opinion. He didn’t really get to do things like this very often.
However, he did do them often enough to have a pretty good idea of where to look. When he found it, he couldn’t help a slight smile. “Alright. You can look now... this is your baby, Azelma.”
Panned her eyes over to the screen and took in a slow, long breath. Azelma’s eyes opened even more and her jaw dropped slightly as her breathing became steadily heavier. She couldn’t help it. Never before did she expect to be able to have a child after everything their father put them through, and there the little one was.
Éponine squeezed Azelma’s hand, just an attempt to keep her grounded and, well, with them. “They always look so strange on these things, don’t they?”
“This is real, right? I mean... Oh my god.” Azelma gritted her teeth as she began to cry but on her face is the biggest smile. She let out a noise that was an obvious sign of just being overwhelmed. It was hers and no matter how it came to being, she would show it the attention and care she never got. She looked up to Éponine and tried to just will the huge grin and tears from her face but she couldn’t.
Éponine couldn’t blame her for either of those things. She would’ve been the same way if she’d been in even remotely the same sort of situation - the two of them had been through hell when it came to pregnancies in the past, and to have one actually last out this long, to have a child... it was an emotional experience. “Real as it can be, Az. Either that, or I’m having one of those weird intensely vivid dreams...”
“Oh my god.” Azelma reached over to just touched the screen with her fingertips, mostly as a way to ground herself even more. She was in awe. Sure, there had been the thought to go to a clinic and deal with things to where she wouldn’t actually get this far along. But standing in front of the building and seeing the girls who were more desperate for it than she was made her back down and think on it more. And the more she’d thought on it, the more she wanted it. And not only because it would be a way to spite their father. To shove in his face that he was not in charge. It had been the first time she’d had a thought like that, and it had sent her into a panic.
“Do you want to know the gender now? I think I can figure it out...” It seemed like the right kind of time for Mamoru to offer that, at least to him. Most women seemed fairly interested in that kind of thing.
“Yes. Please.” She responded and thought on to what she’d want. A girl. Sure, she wouldn’t treat it differently, but girls were stupidly rare in family, as was obvious by how many boys their mother had, had. But even their mother was the only daughter out of many brothers. “I would... And can this thing get pictures or?”
“Handily enough, it can.” Most things like this could, really, which made Mamoru’s job a whole lot easier. Technology was such a lovely thing... after a short while of moving the device around, he was pretty sure he’d gotten this as narrowed-down as he could. “It looks like you’re going to have a baby girl, Azelma.”
“Oh my god, Éponine!” Looked to her sister mostly to see if she was just as shocked. Able to keep the child this far in the pregnancy AND it was a girl. Was the universe trying apologise for being so terrible to her? To them? Because she knew full well Éponine was going to be the best aunt ever.
Éponine was definitely just as shocked. Female Thénardiers were rare, as evidenced by them being rather outnumbered by all the men in the family... maybe it was a sign from the universe. You had to have some belief in things like that at times like this. “I can’t believe it...”
“A girl... Oh my... Just wow. I’m going to have a daughter.” Pulled at Éponine’s hand in excitement. “A daughter!” And her smile is the biggest Éponine has probably seen in years. The joy the thought alone brings to Azelma is a little overwhelming, and because of the dehydration still, she swooned and tipped her head back.
“Hey... take it easy, okay?” Éponine could understand the excitement, yes, but she was pretty sure that Azelma’s body wasn’t exactly equipped to cope with that sort of thing right now... still. Something she could help her with, in time, and something that’d hopefully be a lot better by the time the baby was born.
“Okay...” Tried to focus her breathing and relax down. This was going to be an adventure and a half. Getting well both physically and mentally, preparing for an infant in the house, and not having to worry about how to get money to pay off her father. She felt safe for the first time in years.