Colin's posts

Ash looked at her and nodded.

"Yes. I do." he said. Which wasn't a lie. But it... wasn't the truth, either. His stomach felt worlds better, and he'd loved how it tasted, but he was still pondering how to REALLY help her, or if he was even capable of it.

"Also... I've been thinking." he went on.

"This place is really small for just the two of us." he reasoned. "I'm going to see if we can't find a bigger place to live." he told her.

"And you'll need a few more pairs of clothes, just so you're not wearing the same thing constantly."

"Not at all." Ash responded.

"I was just going back to eat now." he told her.

To which he did. He went back and started eating... only for it to disappear VERY quickly.

"Wow..." he mumbled.

"She can cook, and cook DAMN well..." he commented.

He was shocked. He didn't think one such as Hazel would HAVE that kind of skill.

Ash bit his lip slightly.

"I just want you to not push yourself too much, or keep yourself hurt or uncomfortable." he told her.

"...I'm not Vanessa, I won't ask too much of you." he said further.

"And... I just hope that, at some point... you'll be able to truly break free of what she did to you..." he whispered to himself.

"But... just... please... keep yourself clean, and fed and such."

"...holy hell..." he muttered, seeing the 'good-as-new' state it was in. He also saw Hazel immediately and without hesitation, working on the grody tile that had been underneath the stove.

However, he had to admit that she had moved it with damn ease. He was impressed.

"Hey, Hazel?" he said.

"When you finish that... why not take a shower?" he suggested.

"All those chemicals and stuff? Plus you've been working REALLY hard... a shower'd be nice, yeah?"

"Just about done?" Ash asked.

"What's left?" he asked her.

'Also, she's not done yet? But she said she ate...' he then thought. '...did she take a break and eat? No... I don't see her being the sort to do that right now...' he thought further.

Was she lying to him?

"And it's okay to take a break if you need it." he assured her at the end.

Ash cringed when he heard the word 'Mistress'. It brought back SO many bad memories, and he knew that that woman that she was referring to did NOT deserve to be called that. By ANYONE.

"...I'm still a bit worried." he said.

"I don't want you being hurt while you're here." he told her.

"Or... well, I don't want you being hurt when it's avoidable." he stated.

"Seriously, don't push yourself too far while here. The chemicals looked to have burned you." he commented.

"Or at the very least, caused a reaction or irritation."

"I..." Ash stammered.

"I... okay..." he said. "Good... good to know..." he went on.

"Hazel... Hazel, your face is red. And... and I can smell the odour of chemicals on you." he continued.

"Are you... did... I mean..." he stammered further, before shaking his head.

"Are you all right? Were those chemicals too much?" he asked.

"...woah." he muttered, seeing the clean area, and smelling what she had made.

"That smells... so good..." he mumbled.

"And wow, that is clean..." he went on.

"Hazel!?" he called out.

"Thank you!" he said.

"Did you make food for yourself!?" he asked.

He shook his head.

"Firstly, I do not want you to leave." he told her.

"And... no. Don't think so." he answered.

"Most of the things I have in here that I care about are... uh... still in boxes, I think..." he then admitted sheepishly.

"Oh, I guess the boxes I have piled up in the corners then." he realised.

"..." again, Ash was silent, and could only stare at her dumbfoundedly.

'All right, cool. Just ignore my question again.' he thought angrily, as he walking over to one of the comfier chairs and sat down in it. 'Every single time. I ask about it, she doesn't answer.' he went on.

'Before? I can see that. But she seems to have a lot more of her wherewithal again. Why is she ignoring me AGAIN!?' he mentally yelled.

Before pausing and thinking.

'Is it a sore spot...?' he then asked himself. '...maybe I'm bringing back bad memories by asking...?' he wondered, shaking his head slightly.

"Do you have anywhere to go?" he asked her.

"If not, you are more than welcome to stay with me." he offered.

"Huh. I see." he replied.

"Well... I suppose, right now, a good stew would be good for the both of us." he admitted.

"I have everything needed for it... though the only meat I have right now is some razorhoof deer." he went on. "If you're all right eating some of that, then make some up for the both of us." he offered.

"...oh, also, question." he went on.

"What is up with your blindfold? The one you were wearing the other day." he asked.

He paused again, taking in her question.

"Ah..." he stammered.

"Well, I mean, I could eat, yes." he told her. "You should probably make food up for YOURSELF, too." he went on.

"...wait." he then said.

"Wait, you can cook?" he asked her.

He had to admit, even though he was taken aback by her comment on the state of his kitchen... the fact that she'd said it at ALL was a MAJOR step forward. He then looked at his kitchen area... and hung his head a little.

"I... won't deny that..." he admitted.

"All right, if you could help me by cleaning it, that'd be grand." he told her.

And already, he was making mental plans about her future... especially if she were to continue to stay with him. He guessed she had nowhere to go, and this place was so tiny.

"Are you feeling hungry, by the way?" he asked.

He was silent again for another moment, and then sighed quietly.

"Ah... well... hm." he mumbled, looking around his apartment.

"At the moment, all that needs to be done is the laundry in the basket, and I suppose cleanup of the kitchenette area." he told her.

"You got a preference?" he asked.

"I'll do one, you do the other?"