dollface | melanie martinez

𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

"this is near my friend's house," crybaby announced as they stepped out of the wolfman's house onto the street. "i know exactly where we are. we're very near where we want to be."

"okay," clara nodded, and they began to walk again.

the distance they had to cover wasn't nearly as far as the last time they had walked; in just a few minutes, crybaby was knocking on the door of a small blue house, at the end of a deserted suburban street.

it creaked open, answered by an old crooked man whose eyes widened behind his spectacles when he recognised crybaby.

"w- dear lord, do come in," he spoke, stepping back to allow them inside.

the room they walked into could've easily been from one of clara's storybooks; a small, cosy room with a roaring fire, the wallpaper striped white and dark green and the floor of a dark wood. in the centre of the room was a large persian rug, a red velvet sofa and a coffee table. the far wall was taken up entirely by a large bookcase, and a purring cat was lying on the spiral stairs that snaked both upwards and downwards.

"this is such a pretty house!" said clara happily, moving towards the long-furred cream cat, who rolled onto its back lazily for belly scratches.

the old man raised an eyebrow at crybaby. "wonderful to see you, but it appears you're travelling in company again...?"

crybaby nodded. "this is my friend, clara. she's been with me for over a year now."

"i never thought you'd pick up another after your last one," said the old man interestedly, which made clara's nose wrinkle in confusion.

"i didn't plan to," crybaby admitted, "but i was entrusted with her by one of my last and couldn't say no."

"fair enough," the old man nodded. "well, clara, my name is basil! me and your crybaby have known each other roundabout since she became the way she is now, i think, which was a very long time ago." he winked, before turning back to crybaby. "any idea on how long you'll be staying?"

"as long as necessary," replied crybaby. "i'll explain later."

basil just nodded.
"clara, i assume you'll be tired after your undoubtedly draining journey here. there's a bathtub and a warm bed waiting for you upstairs, care to meet them?"

"thank you," said clara politely, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and pecking the cat on the head before moving up the stairs. she giggled in delight as the cat began to follow her up the stairs.

"i see lilabelle has taken a liking to you," basil called up the stairs.

"what a nice name for a cat," clara mumbled to herself. "lilabelle."

as clara was preparing herself a bath upstairs, entertaining herself with bubble bath and a cream-furred cat,

crybaby and basil were sat downstairs, talking in the detailed closeness that they once had so many years ago.

"so what brings you here after all this time?" asked basil. "i thought i wouldn't see you until the end of humanity, at least. and with another child?- why, i never thought the day would come."

"nor i," nodded crybaby. "but, my last child entrusted this one with me. clara's older sister, angel. the way we finished broke my heart-"

"quite-"

"and i never thought i'd be able to care for another child again, but when she gave me to clara i couldn't refuse. seeing another child struggle under those fucking parents- and, i don't regret it. i may even love her more than i ever loved angel."

"you'll have to say goodbye to her too, you know," said basil gently.

"and then she may just really be my last, for a while at least," crybaby sighed. "it hurts to lose them to the world, even if i know it's for the greater good."

"well you can stay as long as you need," offered basil. "up until she leaves if you like, and even beyond. i daresay mirabelle and myself wouldn't mind the company."

"thank you," crybaby sighed.

and so at basil's, they would stay.