Number Four

Little Tricks

"Soteria. Soteria. So-ter-i-a." Four rolled the word across her tongue, as she ran her finger over the lump of the chip in his neck. "Yeah, there's no way I'm getting that out- not unless I stab you in the neck with a scalpel. And I don't think that would end well for either of us."

He released the hair he was holding up to let her look. "We'll call that plan C."

Four chuckled. "Not ruling it out then?" She wiggled in closer to him, bringing her lips to his ear as she spoke low. "Henry." She then reached for his hand, sliding her fingers up his sleeve to softly stroke the numbers on his wrist.

"Careful, you." He rumbled, slipping his arm around her shoulders, lips brushing against her temple as he spoke with a smile. "You'll give the game away."

Letting her go, he reached across to something on the table. "Right. Tests came back- you're low on vitamin C." He presented her with a plate, upon which were some nicely arranged slices of orange.

Four pouted. "I don't like orange."

"Well, what do you like?"

"Cake." Four grinned.

He laughed lightly. "You've never had cake."

Four smiled oh-so-sweetly. "I'd like to try it. You should get me some."

He seemed to stop in place for a moment, a strange look in his eyes which were fixed intensely on her face. Then a second ticked by and he laughed again, tapping a finger lightly against her nose. "Don't you try your little tricks on me. Come on, eat up."

Four pouted, but took a slice and bit into it, the juice running down her chin.

"Just don't go on hunger strike again. This time they will fit you with a feeding tube."

Four scoffed. "Oh please. The only reason they try so hard is that Papa hasn't found out how to recreate me yet. The moment they do- someone nicer, someone easier- I'm gone. Until then, I can do anything I like."

She scowled as a gaggle of children walked past the window of the room they were in. In the years they had been here- One year? Two? Maybe three? Did time even exist the same here anyway?- more had come; more numbers, more test subjects. It was so much more busy and so much more loud and she didn't like it.

Moments later, footsteps down the hall, and Papa pushed the door open. "Uh, you two are not supposed to be alone in a room together."

The two of them had sprung apart the moment they had realised Doctor Brenner was coming in. "Ugh, we weren't DOING ANYTHING!" Four loudly groaned, throwing back her head for dramatic effect.

Brenner was less than impressed. "Number Four, can you come with me please? I have someone new I want you to meet."

"Oh, here we go." Four muttered. "I swear they always make me look after the new ones because I'm the oldest girl."

"Four!"

"Coming, I'm coming!"

***

"Four, this is Eleven. Eleven, this is Four. Four, why don't you show Eleven how to play some of these games?"

Four looked down at the little girl. She was quite sweet really; small, with big, innocent eyes. Four smiled warmly; children liked her, children always liked her, unless she wanted otherwise. To Eleven, she extended her hand. "Come on. Let's find something fun for you to do."

The little girl's tiny hand in hers, she lead her off into the Rainbow room.

***

It was hours later Four returned to her room, dragging the back of her hands over her tired eyes. She stopped when she saw something on her bed.

There, resting on her pillow, wrapped in a clean white napkin, was a slice of vanilla sponge cake.

A/N: Okay, so a quick question- I'm not actually sure what name you guys would prefer me to use for 001. I mean, I probably intend to mostly use 001, however I know his name is also Henry Creel. And I have also seen some using Peter Ballard, which I'm not quite sure where it comes from as I don't recall it in the actual series, but I'm assuming that's probably the name he goes under as an orderly? (And then of course there's Vecna, but that definitely doesn't apply at this point in the story)
Anyway, I'm happy to use any; do you guys have any preference as to which it is?