A Timid Wolf

He paid the stranger no mind as he dug around the bag hunting a bottle. You’d think Kaiba’s lame guards would be more helpful. They were always so quick to run their fucking mouths about the things he got into to Kaiba. Maybe if they helped every now and then the monarch wouldn’t have to receive help from strangers. If he was yelled at or slapped about it later then so fucking be it. The child seemed more at ease with a REAL mother figure anyway and to be honest, Atem was okay with that. He was trying his best to do whatever he could to make the child feel safe and more at ease, but so far, many of his efforts had been in vain.

“No. Keep her. It’ll be alright. She lives in a house full of men. I’m sure it’s nice to be around a woman for a change.”

     “W-Well, I don’t... know if I’m much better,” Her lip quirked into what was almost a smile, though she dared not make it too wide, in case the stranger found her joke to be less than funny, “I’m n-not... exactly wh-what you’d call feminine.”

     And she certainly didn’t look it - not with her baggy hoodie, grease-stained jeans, and sneakers that had likely seen better days. Despite that though, she was quite at ease holding the little girl, glancing down occasionally to ensure that she was still suckling contently at her bottle.

@sxllicitus –

          “wynn…”

                    admirable as it was that she was so dedicated to this schoolwork of hers, he refused to sit back and watch her practically starve herself for the sake of finishing it at an earlier time. he knew better than anyone that working on an empty stomach only served to stunt one’s potential— she would increase her chances of getting a better grade if she had something in her system, and the stubborn ceo would not take ‘no’ for an answer when it came to her well-being.

                                 the last thing he needed ( or wanted ) was for her to create more obstacles for herself at school, and that started with making sure she was taking care of herself under his roof.

                                there was a gourmet bento afront him that he’d cracked open, hoping to ward off his own hunger before his lengthy night of work. the chefs were known to pack a rather hefty amount when preparing his meals, in the event he ended up working into the next morning ( or, in case a certain younger kaiba brother wanted to partake in his older sibling’s dinner ), so there was plenty to be shared between them. thus, he rose from his spot at the desk, bento held securely within slender fingers, and made his way over to the academic ‘chaos’ she’d made of his office flooring.

                    “you need to eat. now.”

     It happened, sometimes, that she’d forget to look after herself - mountains of schoolwork was the biggest culprit for this, as Wynn often found herself overwhelmed when projects began piling up. As such, meals were sometimes forgotten, or hunger was simply ignored in favor of getting things done. It likely wasn’t the best idea, but as one who felt that she was pressed for time, the brunette figured that it wouldn’t hurt that much.

     Of course, others thought about the matter differently.

     “H-Huh?” Blue eyes snapped up from where they’d been focused upon her current assignment, two-page paper that was to accompany the piece that she was working on. “I... b-but...”

     She could tell from the look in Seto’s eyes that he wasn’t about to take ‘no’ for an answer - he never did, truthfully. The tall man also wasn’t one who could be lied to, and even if he had been, Wynn’s stomach sought to betray her before she would even try as a growl emitted from her middle. Almost immediately, a redness rose up into her cheeks, young woman looking sheepish as she slowly rose up from the floor to her feet.

WELL IN HIS DEFENSE, HE HAD NO CHOICE.

SHE STARTED IT.

Perhaps he was being unfair to the stranger. After all, he himself wasn’t quite used to having freedom outside Kaiba’s walls. Only recently had he allowed the former king to get out for some fresh air — per doctor’s orders of course. A little Vitamin D went a long way, especially for the child. However, she didn’t seem to be enjoying herself all that much so once again he shifted, doing his best to hold her and dig around for a bottle. Eventually, he grew frustrated with his own inadequacy so he gently thrust the baby towards the stranger.

“Here. You want to help so badly then hold her while I dig around for a bottle.” And he mentally dared Isono to say anything about this to Kaiba. Fact is: he wasn’t around to help nor did his stupid bodyguards see fit to help either. So the way he saw it, getting help from the concerned stranger was the best idea in regards to the child’s well being. “Here’s a bottle.”

     Though she very much wanted to step in and help, Wynn refrained from approaching or making a move - at least, until the baby girl was held out to her by the frustrated father. Without a word, the brunette gave a small nod, gently taking the infant into her arms and bouncing her softly in an attempt to soothe her until a bottle was produced. Despite the baby’s whimpers, however, Wynn seemed to be fairly at ease, falling into a familiar rhythm that she’d used many times on her own siblings.

     Only when the bottle was produced did she stop, taking it from the man and offering it to the little girl. Though she continued to fuss for a few more moments, Wynn managed to coax the bottle’s nipple into her mouth, and the young woman let out a small breath when the infant began to suckle at it.

There was an urge to clap back with some scathing sarcasm on his part. After all, what was going on right now was none of her business. Granted he was struggling but he could handle it. He had no choice but to handle it because Kaiba sure as hell wasn’t helping out like he should. Still, as awful as his mood was these days, he shook his head. Pride wouldn’t allow him to ask for help so he continued to rock the child, hoping she’d go quiet soon enough.

     There... was something very wrong here. From the expression on his face, the stranger looked as if he wanted to snap, and yet he remained oddly silent. It wasn’t as if she was being ignored either, for the man at least shook his head, acknowledging her question. Though concerned, the girl backed up a bit, giving both father and his child some space.

@sxllicitus liked.

The way she kept chancing glances his way was terribly unsettling. Was it really that odd seeing a man holding an infant? Surely there were other men who saw fit to give their wives a reprieve by taking on the duties required to care for a child. Or in his case, taking care of his own child. It still irked him so hard that Kaiba did this, but if he allowed himself to brood over it too much, he just got angry and tense. It didn’t help that the child seemed uncomfortable. She cried an awful lot — much like now. The watchful eyes of the stranger were soon forgotten as Atem shifted the child in his arms, trying not to look so frustrated. He was exhausted and at this rate he was going to burst into tears all over again.

     He seemed to be having a hard time, and that was what had Wynn glancing over repeatedly. Though not a mother herself, a life with as many younger siblings as she had made the brunette all too aware of how tiring a small child could be, and the man with the baby seemed to be quite exhausted. Though the thought of approaching a stranger made her anxious, the fact that he was struggling so much urged her forth - she couldn’t, in good conscious, leave someone who looked so helpless about the situation.

Tagged by: @deusxmachiina

Tagging: @ofpuzzles, @lcylines, @blackincantation, @xltruistic, @inceloris

Below the surface everyone is pretty complicated. Based on your answers, we think the following three traits are important strands in your personality:

NEEDINESS

Being affirmed and nurtured by others is a central requirement for you to feel safe. This means you can be slow to warm up to other people, which is difficult because what you most need from them is their warmth. Yet you know how to be vulnerable: to let down your defences and accept that you need another person. This lack of pretence is a valuable trait, and ultimately more endearing than the macho efforts others make to deny their childlike sides.

SHYNESS

Part of you is gripped by the fear that you’ll launch into something and completely mess it up. The upside of this is wise caution: people are indeed often too rash, whereas you know, by instinct, that holding back can save you. Probably, you feel shame and self-disgust a bit too much. But when you do feel in your element, you act with a wisdom and sensitivity never found in people with thicker skins.

PLAYFULNESS