Winter and it's downfalls...

[Piper Wren]

The winter was definetly upon Wonderland now and Piper had found herself persuaded by Tristan to go to the Market place for new Winter clothes, although Piper generally covered up, her clothing was suited to the late summer that she had arrived in, not the Winter months. The chill was enough to go right through her jacket and send a shiver up her spine, despite the chill Piper rubbed her hands together and blew on them before shoving them in her pockets.

"Really, you don't need to do this."

Piper tried to to convince Tristan that he didn't need to start buying her new clothes...although it must be hard to take someone seriously who had a pink tipped nose from the cold and was trying not to shiver when the wind blew.

"I'll be just fine, just need to wear more layers..."

The young woman pushed her hands further into her pockets, Piper had thought winter had been harsh back home let alone here...it was particularly like the bloody North pole instead of an ordinary winter! None the less she still followed Tristan through the market, the boogies didn't seem to feel the cold so badly, or if they did they really didn't show it!

'My hands feel like they're about to drop off...'

[Ryan Cardwell]

Yes, Tristan was indeed going clothes shopping. Not that he needed anything, his wardrobe suited him for most any situation. The huge leather trench coat he now wore everywhere was more than enough protection against the chill winter air. No, he was out to buy some things for Piper, the human girl he'd taken in after saving her from the Trap and the bastard that had previously called himself her master. Humans in Wonderland rarely had more clothes than what they wore in, only receiving new ones when their master's decided to buy them, which was a rare occurrence.

"Really, you don't need to do this."

Tristan however was a rare one himself. Which was evident by the way he was picking through various sets of clothing, pondering each before moving on. There was some factor thadiscounted each, whether it be thickness, ability to contain warmth, or the material it was made from. When she spoke he was busy going over another article of clothing, and he glanced over at her from the coat he was currently examining. "Of course I do. You've no idea how harsh the winters can be here. The last thing we want is for you to catch your death of pneumonia." The boogie running the shop promptly gave him a look that was plainly wondering if was off his rocker, though the shopkeep was smart enough to divert his attention elsewhere before Tristan could notice.

"I'll be just fine, just need to wear more layers..."

Tossing the coat aside he moved one, stopping at place that was selling mittens and gloves of every type and description imaginable. Tristan carefully poured over them, checking to see if they would be warm enough for her. He'd noticed that her hands seemed especially cold, and so was taking extra precaution to safeguard her extremities from possible frostbite. The boogie didn't even look at her as she spoke this time, busy in his search. "Nonsense. Now. I don't suppose you have a favorite color?" He pointed at the multitude of handwear, making a gesture that quite clearly told her to choose for herself. There was no request of her he would turn down, he was rather taken with the girl. Not to mention that he had gold out the wazoo and so could afford anything in Wonderland. Well, almost anything.

[Piper Wren]

"Of course I do. You've no idea how harsh the winters can be here. The last thing we want is for you to catch your death of pneumonia."

It was at that comment Piper noticed the shop keeper giving Tristan the 'Are you drunk or just off your rocker?' look, she avoided his eyes and quickly followed behind the tall boogie. She must have given him a similar look when they were properly introduced in hospital, Piper had thought he was unusual for a Boogie...especially when he was holding up a women's coat and checking it over for quality, it just wasn't expected.

"Nonsense. Now. I don't suppose you have a favorite color?"

"Well...erm..."

Piper glanced down at the large selection of gloves in several kinds of fabric and mittens which had always irritated her as a child, they made her feel cackhanded. As for colour...she had worn alot of it before trying to become almost invisible at home, Piper brushed her cold fingertips across the soft leather of a dark purple pair of gloves, in one of her less intelligent moments she had tried to dye her hair that colour but when does a thirteen year old have any taste? Piper chuckled quietly at the memory of how silly she had looked.

And she knew that she wasn't going to get out of this...insulting Tristan wasn't really an option either.

"These are nice."

[Ryan Cardwell]

Unusual? Tristan? That was certainly the understatement of all eternity. Tristan was as different from his kind as they themselves were from the humans. Though really that was only in his dealings with the humans. When it came to his own kind, it was far easier to tell what he was. There were no boogies anywhere to be found that were as ferocious as Tristan once his ire was raised, and even he showed the cruelty of his race when dealing with his enemies. But yes, when it came to the frail little creatures known as humans,m one could never tell that he was a monster. He held a special fondness for him, even if he didn't see them as equal to his kind. No, such a right was reserved for few. Those being the few he took under his protection. They were far and above anything else that inhabited this twisted world, if only in his opinion. But then, his word was as good as law.

"Well...erm... These are nice."

"Hmm?" The boogie glanced over at her, smiling as he spotted the gloves. Personally purple wasn't his style, he was more a solid black kinda guy. But if Piper liked them, then have them she would. Reaching in his coat pocket he plopped a few coins down on the table, smiling at her again. "Now you put those on, don't want you losing your fingers from frostbite." Again he received a look from the shopkeep, though this boogie received a glare in return. Immediately the timid creature ran off, knowing all to well what happened when Tristan was pissed off by a boogie.

He turned, glancing around the market. To be honest he wasn't sure what he should get next. She needed clothing of course, but then there were other things as well. The rooms delegated to the humans weren't exactly all warm and toasty, in fact the entire South Wing was freezing twenty-four seven this time of year. He could buy her plenty of bedding, but that wouldn't do much good when she was up and about. There was really only one way to keep her warm and secure all the time. Unfortunately, he was fairly sure she wouldn't be too keen on the idea.

Rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, he glanced around the market a bit. Eventually his eye made its way back to Piper, carefully looking over her face. In the end he sighed, his natural kindness overriding his better judgment. "Piper? Would you mind if I asked you something?" Nae's never gonna let me hear the end of this one....

[Piper Wren]

"Now you put those on, don't want you losing your fingers from frostbite."

Piper shot a smile at Tristan and pulled the gloves over her hands, she relished the warmth, especially since these were lined with some kind of fur. Losing her fingers wasn't a happy thought and learning to play the piano with her toes didn't seem promising, perhaps keeping the gloves on would be best. Piper rubbed her nose, trying to stop it turning pink which she thought always made her look like a rudolph the reindeer wannabe.

"Thank you."

"Piper? Would you mind if I asked you something?"

The young woman stopped rubbing her nose...feeling pretty silly for even bothering and glanced up at Tristan as he spoke. What was he looking so awkward about? It was quite odd watching a tall, strong boogie rubbing the back of his head like some shy adolescant. But then again...expect the unexpected.

"Er, sure, go ahead."

She stated carefully, not sure where this was going but slightly curious as well. The way he was studying her face was unusual as well, slightly awkwardly, Piper pushed a lock of dark hair away from her eye and tried to ignore the very odd looks that the market vendors were giving them.

[Ryan Cardwell]

At this moment, if one didn't know better they'd never be able to tell that the man standing there with a kindly smile on his face was a monster. They'd never be able to tell that he stole away children, that he was the thing in their nightmares. Because at this moment, he seemed far too nice and kindly for anything of the sort. Someone that could genuinely wear a smile as gentle as he did couldn't be anything of the sort. But he was.

As he watched her rubbing her nose he chuckled, finding the sight absolutely adorable. Even so he made a mental note to fins some way to keep her face warm. Perhaps a jacket with something to cover half her face? Hmm.... Now there was an idea. He definitely needed to look around and see if they had anything like that.

"Er, sure, go ahead."

Great.... How the hell was he supposed to go about this, without freaking her out that is? He knew full well how things had been for her after coming here, asking her something like what he had in mind might only serve to push her away from him. That was the last thing he wanted. Still, the pros outweighed the possible cons. Not only would it aid her health, but it would also allow him to offer her much more protection than he could now. He sighed again, resolved to the matter. "Would you like to move into my room? Its much warmer and safer than the South Wing, not to mention the much larger size.." Brace for freak out in three. two. one. go.

[Piper Wren]

"Would you like to move into my room? Its much warmer and safer than the South Wing, not to mention the much larger size.."

And there it was...the uncomfortable pause. Piper wasn't entirely sure what the hell to make of Tristan's suggestion, her face was impassive for a moment or so before a worried crease formed on her brow. Her inner alarm bells had been ringing loudly inside her head, although she knew that Tristan was a good man she just couldn't help it. Awkwardly Piper rubbed her left arm and nibbled on her bottom lip, not entirely sure what she was supposed to say.

"Well er..."

Piper glanced around the market and avoided Tristan's eyes, he didn't know anything about what had happened to her before getting dragged to Wonderland...she didn't expect him to know either, talking about it was still very difficult. To her credit she didn't freak out as Tristan was expecting her to, although her expression was clearly anxious.

"I don't want to offend but I don't think I would be comfortable with that..."

Her own paranoia and previous experiences kicking in...being a fuck up wasn't fun.

[Ryan Cardwell]

"I don't want to offend but I don't think I would be comfortable with that..."

His hands came up, eye closing in embarrassment. "Umm... O-of course you wouldn't. Stupid question. Eheh....heh.." His hurried speech trailed off, embarrassment fading as his eye lowered. He stood there for a bit, eye cast towards the ground. "Sorry" He was unhappy that he'd made her uncomfortable, and in truth was a bit disappointed with her answer. It would have been a nice change, having someone around. The only ones ever there were Naelona and Moon, neither of whom were much for conversation.

After a bit his gaze returned upwards, a small, fake smile plastered on his face. "Right, so... You need a jacket right? any kind you like?" He was changing the subject, he knew that, and he was sure she knew it. She wasn't stupid, not by any means., It would be obvious what he was doing. But then....did it matter? Really? Not much did these days.

[Piper Wren]

"Umm... O-of course you wouldn't. Stupid question. Eheh....heh...Sorry."

Piper sighed and tensely shoved her hair away from her eyes, her fingers intwined in the black strands for a moment before letting them fall away. How was she meant to explain this without going into too much detail? Her stomach still turned at the thought of that night and abruptly Piper tried to distance herself from that. Explaining it would verify that it had been real and not just a vivid nightmare which she could push away...

"Right, so... You need a jacket right? any kind you like?"

She glanced up at Tristan's fake smile at his change of subject and felt slightly guilty that he was trying to guard her feelings and not show his own dissapointment. Piper reached out and held onto the fabric of his sleeve, she stepped in slighty closer and lowered her voice just incase anyone passing by heard anything.

"I'm sorry...I have my reasons, they're just hard to talk about, more like impossible really..."

Piper's last statement was followed by a half laugh with an undercurrent of sadness, the kind of sound people make when its better than the alternative emotions.

"I hope I haven't offended you."

[Ryan Cardwell]

"I'm sorry...I have my reasons, they're just hard to talk about, more like impossible really... I hope I haven't offended you.

He was surprised when she grabbed his sleeve, having expected her to be moving away from him. It was a bit more than an odd question, and he hadn't expected her to take it so well. He certainly hadn't expected her to step closer to him. There was a but of hope that she might be willing to forget it, though he mostly thought she was going to smack him for it. But those broke away his own feelings, the knowledge that she was suffering inwardly. Monster or no, Tristan hated the thought that she was hurting. Whoever or whatever it was that had caused it he had no idea, but his instinctive feelings for the person or thing were far from friendly. Even so he pushed them away, they paled in comparison for what he felt towards Piper. They might have only known each other a short time, but that didn't matter to him. He thought of her as a dear friend, and cared about her as such. Of course he was sure she didn't feel the same way, but that was entirely beside the point. The point was that his friend was hurting, and he didn't like it.

"I hope I haven't offended you."

Tristan smiled at her softly, a warm and caring look in his eye. Moving his free hand up, he gently rested it on the girl's shoulder. It wasn't a loving touch or a forceful one, or anything of that nature. But was one of respect and kindness. He was there were people staring, human and boogie alike, but he didn't care. That was partly because he had never been the sort to care what others thought about him, but it was mostly because he was far more concerned with Piper than he was a bunch of idiots. "Don't trouble yourself over such small matters."

A moment longer he allowed his hand to linger, before giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze and letting it fall back to his side. He gave her another small smile, half turning his head as though to look over the market. In truth he was thinking, though what about was absolutely anyone's guess. For a small while he just stared across the winter landscape, eye a bit unfocused as his mind lingered somewhere his body wasn't. Then he spoke, so low that only Piper would hear. "Piper? I know you don't trust me. But if you ever need anything, anything at all, I'll be there for you." Turning his head back he watched her, the look in his eye confirming and validating what he'd said.

[Piper Wren]

Piper felt the pressure of Tristan's hand on her shoulder, her first instinct normally would be to move away quickly but there was something in that touch that made her feel almost validated...as if she were a person instead of someone's possession. She glanced up at him and was almost taken aback by the honest emotions, that was unusual for a Boogie to look at anyone like that, it was warm and caring. No one had looked at Piper that way for what felt like a long time, it was odd but comforting at the same time.

"Don't trouble yourself over such small matters."

It didn't feel like a small matter when no matter what she did it still followed her around like a dark presence and still gave her nightmares that had Piper waking up in the early hours, drenched in cold sweat. When the comforting pressure of Tristan's hand left her shoulder, Piper released she was still holding onto his sleeve like a lost child, slightly embaressed she let it go, hanging both hands down by her side.

"It doesn't feel small."

She mumbled, fiddling with her sleeve and yanking it down to her knuckles, Piper's bandages were gone but the faded red marks on her ivory skin were still there albeit now paler and smooth.

"Piper? I know you don't trust me. But if you ever need anything, anything at all, I'll be there for you."

Piper looked up at Tristan at that statement, shocked by his words but it made her feel like part of the hurt inside her feel it had been soothed, being told that even by a Boogie and it being truly honest. Maybe this was a start? She reached up and touched his cheek with her gloved fingertips.

"Thank you...it's been a long time since anyone said that to me."