mike looked around the apartment, taking in the decor as he stepped in whilst el shut the door and took off all the leashes.
"be free!" she exclaimed but the three puppies stayed by her feet for a second before settling down in the living room which was two steps away.
"isn't it so pretty?" el asked, looking around the apartment with a smile before turning to mike. "xavy, blaze and damy are out doing... i don't know... but they'll be back later,"
he nodded slowly, continuing to inspect the place. "the place is nice, i guess,"
she held up a finger. "wait right here. needa change," she walked towards her room and he looked down the hall. "you don't have a door?"
"nope..." she trailed off and he followed her, looking at the door that has removed. "you don't have privacy then,"
"no, i do! 'cuz dante knocks right here," she hid behind the wall and demonstrated. "and his room over there so...." she trailed off and he looked down the hall to his room.
"so why don't you have a door?"
she shrugged weakly. "b'cuz i get sad and i get too sad sometimes so dante takes the door away so i don't get too sad again," she explained briefly before giggling. "i have to change... unless you wanna watch," she gasped and wiggled a brow.
he instantly turned. "i do not,"
she gasped again, walking closer into the room to take off her makeup and to change into comfier clothes.
mike sat down on the couch, petting one of the dogs, who's name he didn't know, on the head as he waited, el coming back out within a few minutes.
he stared at her for a few seconds, seeing her in an oversized shirt and absolutely no makeup. "you took your scary makeup off,"
"it's not scary!" she groaned loudly and stomped her feet repeatedly. "i'm a good dolly!"
"okay, okay, jesus. stop doing that stomping that," he muttered and she frowned but sat down next to him. "i don't try to be scary... they're just always scared." she whispered and then turned on the tv.
"okay, we always watched cartoons 'cuz that's the only channel available," she murmured as jello circled on feet and then jumped to her lap.
he looked over at her, their faces inches apart. "that sounds pretty boring,"
"no, it doesn't," she reached over and gently tapped his nose before giggling. "i hope you remember, mike..."
"why? i mean, there's not much—"
"of course there is!" she exclaimed loudly and pulled back with a huff. "because you forgot all the good stuff! and... and... it makes me sad 'cuz you're all i had! and you just— you forget it all!" she exclaimed in extreme frustration. "it's just not fair... they did this to you,"
he stayed quiet for a second before responding. "perhaps you should just tell me then, el. tell me everything,"
she shook her head. "nope. never! gotta find out yourself," she began to smile again.
he bent, picking up a rottweiler to place on his lap before patting the empty spot next to him to signal for the other one to lay next to him.
"not even one story?" mike asked, turning to el who clicked through different channels.
"well... i'll tell you one," she giggled and he instantly straightened up.
el drummed her chin with her fingers, humming as she began to think. "uh, i fucked you on your bed after i got thrown into the naughty dolly cell and then you got thrown in because i woke up in your bed naked. oh! and then i got in too! and i push food on the walls!"
his eyes widened in shock and he instantly shook his head. "that was not the story i was hoping for..."
"hehe," she laughed to herself and then pointed to the tv. "now watch. this one is important," she said seriously, watching intensely on ben and holly's little kingdom that played.
✿
dante walked through the door, eyeing the place before shutting the door behind him, putting his phone down on the counter. "what is happening?"
"jogging memories!" el bounced to her feet and over to him with a smile. "we've been watching cartoons,"
dante's eyes adverted to mike. "how fun, el,"
she nodded with a small giggle before gasping. "xavy! you're back! mike's here, go say hi,"
"actually, i should go," mike stood to his feet and el instantly frowned. "already? why?"
"it's late, i have to go home," he said gently and she nodded slowly, masking her disappointment.
dante glanced at her and then at mike. "you can stay," he managed to mumbled but mike shook his head. "it's fine, i actually have to go."
he then grinned at el. "not sure when i'll see you again but i know it'll be soon,"
she gasped, covering her mouth with both hands. "that won't happen!" she looked at dante for backup with pleading eyes as mike gathered his things.
"see you, el," he gave a nod at dante before opening the door, the dogs moving to their feet in alert.
el removed her hands and pouted sadly, watching the door close before she turned to dante. "how was your day?" she asked, forgetting everything that just happened before tapping his chest twice.
"beep beep,"
he held back a smile, going to hold her hand gently. "i had a good day. thank you for asking,"
she smiled brightly and gave him a small but quick hug. "good! 'cuz i had a good day too! let me tell you something, dantedante... the voices today," she tapped her own head harshly. "not as loud. aren't you proud?"
"i'm happy," he corrected. "because you're getting better,"
she shrugged and moved away before pointing to the stove. "by the way, i broke the stove when i tried to make popcorn,"
his brows furrowed. "excuse me? the stove? broken? with the process of popcorn? popcorn!?"
she put on the saddest look. "i didn't... i did the wrong thing,"
he exhaled gently and then gently stroked her head. "that's okay. i'll fix it. why don't you get ready for dinner, okay? it'll be quick,"
she smiled into his touch before nodding. "okay," she moved back and skip bounced all the way to the bathroom, giggling as she did so.
"ah! damy, i didn't know you were in here! sorry, i'll wait!" she exclaimed and turned, covering her eyes as dante bit back a smile and went to start dinner.
once he opened the cabinet, the dogs hopped to their feet and went to circle his for food, sitting right by him.
"later," he gave them a quick pet but they followed him, one running to the dog bowl, drinking some water and then back. "yes, i know there's only water. i'll refill it later. give me a second,"
they whimpered quietly, waiting patiently as dante started making the easy spaghetti, pulling out ingredients to make the dogs dinner too.
once he was done, he put the three bowls down, let out a whistle, and they instantly dug in.
with a little smile, dante finished up dinner which was no more than a five minute process.
"el!" he shouted for her. "hey, dinners ready,"
"gimmeamoment!" she slurred quickly. "i'm peeing!"
"didn't need to know that!" he exclaimed and set the kitchen counter and watched her come down the hall a few minutes later.
"can we watch something?" blaze asked and el shook her head before sitting down. "no. the cartoons stay on!"
he huffed loudly and sat down with an annoyed sigh. "ugh!"
she giggled and leaned over to dante to tap his nose. "yum yum,"
he gently caressed her hair and rubbed her shoulder. "i know. hey, you want a drink?"
she nodded and straightened up. "lemonade, please..."
he turned, opening the fridge to grab it before turning to her with a smile. "there you go,"
with a smile, she picked up a fork and dug in slowly, inhaling and exhaling to refrain herself from throwing up.
"deep breath," he reminded her. "it's okay if you take it slow,"
she nodded, keeping her head down and he handed her some fruits on the side without a word.
✿
"i'm a good dolly... good dolly. not evil. i'm good. i... i'm good. i do good. perish evil... i avenge," el chanted over and over to herself like it was a rhyme as she stared at the street in front of her, feeling the blood slowly fall down the side of her face from the cuts in her head.
hair knotted and matted, dress torn and lips quivering, she looked like a mess.
eyes blank, she couldn't help but have her whole body shake.
"he deserved it. she deserved it. they did. they did it. they were evil," she cried loudly, watching the cars flash by in front of her in a blur.
"miss?" someone tapped her shoulder. "miss? are you okay?"
she turned, and the woman instantly gasped at the sight of el.
"am i?" el asked quietly before looking ahead again. "i don't know,"
the woman's breath shuddered. "honey... should i... um, should i— call someone?"
el paused, eyes closing. "no one to call," she turned, walking away slowly as her feet dragged tiredly.
she let out weak breaths, looking around her but squinting at the street lights. "why'd you go home first, xavy?"
her eyes gazed down with a sigh and she slowly pulled out her phone, hearing the dial tones.
"hello?"
she stayed silent.
"el? el, is that you?" mike asked again and her breath began to shake even more. "hi,"
"what's wrong?" he asked quietly. "it's late,"
she nodded, even though he couldn't see. "i know... i just... i don't know..." her voice trailed off tiredly. "i'm tired,"
"where are you?"
she looked around. "i don't know. i just know i'm good. i think i'm a good dolly. am i evil? i don't think so..."
"you're not," he whispered. "are you okay?"
"i don't know... i'm tired," she murmured with a small sigh. "i don't know why i called," her voice trailed off, voice cracking. "i guess i... it doesn't matter,"
"it does." he insisted. "talk to me. you shouldn't be alone,"
"i think i'm going to go home,"
"home? not the house?"
"yes... my puppies.. dante," she whispered, before sniffling loudly. "mike?"
"yeah?"
"sometimes... the voices get really loud. sometimes i don't know how to breathe. everything is so loud, i don't know how to escape. even making the evils go don't help. i wish you understood me, mike... like you once did,"
he took a long moment to absorb her words before he responded. "i wish i understood you too," he whispered to her. "stay on the phone as you walk home,"
"why?" her voice cracked so much that it was barely audible.
"because i need to make sure that you're safe," he responded gently and she sniffled again, rubbing her eyes with her fists.
she hiccuped. "you don't— have to,"
"stop crying," he told her and she sniffled again. "sorry," she whimpered, walking across the street as she looked around to figure out where she was.
"just don't cry," he muttered. "where are you now?"
"i don't know," her breathing quivered as she looked around but tears clouded her vision. "i... i don't— where's home?"
she shut her eyes with a sob. "i have to go," she pulled the phone away from her ear before dropping down, hugging her bent knees tightly.
"where am i?"
she looked down to her buzzing phone, seeing a mixture of texts from mike and dante.
dante: el? where are you? is something wrong?
dante: answer me please
dante: what's your favourite food?
he asked and el's eyes widened a little with hope.
she forgot they had a code if anything ever happened to her.
which was one i'm lost...?
el: taco
el: i'm lost dante
dante: taco is for i'm safe but you are, yes? that's okay then. i'll come find you right now, don't move.
el: i won't
el stood right there patiently, not moving a single bit as she waited for dante to find him, knowing dante always would find her.
she knew he probably tracked her phone but she didn't care.
it didn't take long for a black car to roll up in front of her and for the window to rolled down, revealing dante.
"hi," she whispered and he instantly smiled, getting out of the car to help her. "hey there," he cupped her cheeks and she instantly sighed in relief, sinking down into his palms for comfort.
"hi..." her voice cracked. "i got lost... i'm sorry,"
he shook his head. "it's okay, it's okay. let's go home now," he told her gently and she instantly nodded. "yes... let's go home,"
he opened the car door for her and helped her in, gently wiping away the dripping blood. "el, breathe, piccolo,"
she nodded, inhaling sharply. "i'm trying,"
"that okay. close your eyes, we'll be home soon,"
she shut her eyes in response, gently resting them as she curled to the side whilst dante buckled her seatbelt.
"sleep," he murmured, kissing her temple gently before pulling back.
"love you," she muttered and he instantly smiled. "i love you too," he shut the door and then entered the drivers seat to began their journey home.