A-Z Enoch O'Connor

H - Hortative

hortative - strongly encouraging

Lunch has long since been over as you sit with Claire at the table. The young girl is still quite nervous about eating with her back mouth in front of the rest of the house, and you're trying to help her be more comfortable, because quite frankly, she should be comfortable around any and everyone.

Enoch is walking into the kitchen when he hears you talking to Claire. "You know, Claire, when I first arrived, I was very embarrassed myself." The little girl gasps as she looks to you, "Why?" She asks, her eyes wide, and though she doesn't catch it, Enoch notices you gently rub at the scales covering your forearm.

The beautiful scales litter your arms, shoulders, the tops of your hands and feet, your forehead and collarbone. He has never seen any of the other places, but he assumes they cover your entire body.

"When I was younger, before I ever came to a loop, the kids in my neighborhood used to say very mean things to me. I thought my scales were ugly. They made me so mad I even tried to pry them off, but then my parents sent me here. When I got with people like me, I began to feel better, and I wasn't even cute like you were."

Claire smiles bashfully when you say this. Getting serious again, you hold your left arm out to show her, right before your wrist merges into your hand, the little girl sees a diamond-esque piece of skin that looks out of place surrounded by the teal scales. "There used to be a scale there, and everyday that I see that scar I made, I regret there being a time I didn't want to be myself. I don't want the same to happen to you."

Nodding, Claire lifts her delicate curls and begins to eat. Enoch backs out and decides to wait on that cup of water. As he tinkers with a homunculus, he thinks about you and Claire. It has been a long time since he's heard someone his age speak so hortatively, and as he pictures the patch of skin amongst the scaly top of your arm, Enoch feels waves of respect wash over himself.