Rachel (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
theresnodoor) wrote2011-06-11 07:09 pm
theresnodoor) wrote2011-06-11 07:09 pm
OOM
Sometimes a routine is a useful thing. When it's broken in the slightest way, it's obvious. Noticeable. There's no way to miss it and let the change go by, possibly to the detriment of others.
So Rachel notices when Tobias doesn't leave her in the mornings to go hunt. When he tries to follow her down to the garage rather than eat. And when she's gone outside with him and he does nothing but look at her and obey suggestions on her behalf, she continues to notice. He's either refusing to listen to his own body's urges, or simply can't hear them anymore.
It's the sort of thing she'd talk to Cassie about, if...
Or maybe, since it affects his life so completely, since he's changed so much, it's Jake that she should...
Of course, she probably wouldn't have to. Ax would have noticed first that he...
The first day, she carries him to the woods on her arm and asks him to wait on a branch while she morphs. When they're up in the air, eagle and hawk, and he still does nothing, she starts pointing out prey. But once it's noticed, as is the nature of quick-moving animals, it's too late for him to dive.
The first day, she hunts for him. Downs a demon rabbit and holds it, pinned to the ground struggling and screaming, and calls to Tobias to come down and finish it. He needs to eat and the hawk prefers its prey live.
She keeps holding it while he eats, only moving when she's in his way.
They've been through so much. But there was never anything that Tobias couldn't cope with, or pretend he was coping with.
He's never let her take care of him. Not like this.
It scares her.
And it's not right.
She does the same that afternoon, before the sun goes down. And it's a rabbit again - they are everywhere - and she holds it while he eats.
In the morning, it is the same.
And the next afternoon.
The third day, she starts to ask him about it, to say something, anything. But every attempt is aborted for the simplest reason.
Why won't you-
Can't you-
Aren't you-
You should-
Guilt.
Maybe he would, could if she hadn't left suddenly. Maybe he wouldn't be like this if she hadn't left that first time.
But it's still some time before she realizes. That first time?
She'd said goodbye.
She'd made sure she could.
And this time?
Was not her fault.
"Tobias? Let's go outside."
So Rachel notices when Tobias doesn't leave her in the mornings to go hunt. When he tries to follow her down to the garage rather than eat. And when she's gone outside with him and he does nothing but look at her and obey suggestions on her behalf, she continues to notice. He's either refusing to listen to his own body's urges, or simply can't hear them anymore.
It's the sort of thing she'd talk to Cassie about, if...
Or maybe, since it affects his life so completely, since he's changed so much, it's Jake that she should...
Of course, she probably wouldn't have to. Ax would have noticed first that he...
The first day, she carries him to the woods on her arm and asks him to wait on a branch while she morphs. When they're up in the air, eagle and hawk, and he still does nothing, she starts pointing out prey. But once it's noticed, as is the nature of quick-moving animals, it's too late for him to dive.
The first day, she hunts for him. Downs a demon rabbit and holds it, pinned to the ground struggling and screaming, and calls to Tobias to come down and finish it. He needs to eat and the hawk prefers its prey live.
She keeps holding it while he eats, only moving when she's in his way.
They've been through so much. But there was never anything that Tobias couldn't cope with, or pretend he was coping with.
He's never let her take care of him. Not like this.
It scares her.
And it's not right.
She does the same that afternoon, before the sun goes down. And it's a rabbit again - they are everywhere - and she holds it while he eats.
In the morning, it is the same.
And the next afternoon.
The third day, she starts to ask him about it, to say something, anything. But every attempt is aborted for the simplest reason.
Why won't you-
Can't you-
Aren't you-
You should-
Guilt.
Maybe he would, could if she hadn't left suddenly. Maybe he wouldn't be like this if she hadn't left that first time.
But it's still some time before she realizes. That first time?
She'd said goodbye.
She'd made sure she could.
And this time?
Was not her fault.
"Tobias? Let's go outside."