Evanescent

17 | C O M F O R T A B L E

Rosa was sat cross-legged on the floor, brushing out her long brown waves as she held a book opened with her small feet, flipping the page occasionally with her toe.

For four days now, Noah had been trying to get her comfortable enough to ask him to do things for her. Or let him help with something. But she was not letting up. She wouldn't give him any control. Or give up any independance.

That was okay. In some ways. But he wanted to take care of her. He wanted her to need him.

He just about flinched at the sound of her voice which he hadn't heard in about an hour and a half. "I'm hungry."

He looked over at her on the floor, completely unfazed by the strange position she was in. He had already told her to get off the floor multiple times and sit on the couch, but she had insisted that the floor was more comfortable.

He smirked at her. "Hi hungry, i'm daddy," he said playfully and chuckled as she choked a little in surprise. "I'm sorry," he laughed. "What are you hungry for?"

"Food," she said as she flipped to the next page with her little painted toe.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Are you being smart with me?"

"Yes, I would like to think so." She turned to face him, her legs still crossed. "Am I smart?" She asked softly, tilting her head as she peered up at him with her pale green eyes.

He leaned back in his chair and folded his hands together across his abdomen. "Yes, a very smart little girl. I wonder where it all comes from."

He was curious about her. Obviously. As the two of them hardly knew a thing about each other.

He had questioned himself a few times on the topic. Wondered what the hell he had the girl in his house for if he didn't know much about her.

But then he'd take a look at the hard headed, delicately freckle-faced girl who seemed to be obsessed with all things reading, cooking and stickers; he knew the reason he had taken her in.

He leaned forward in his seat, his hands now folded out in front of him. "Where does all this smartness come from, Rosa? Who were the evil genuinesses behind your making? Who must I admire and thank?"

Rosa smiled up at him a little as she pulled her knees up to her chest and rest her chin on her knees. "My mom and dad. They're the artists behind the canvas.. you can say."

"My my," he smiled. "I must say, they've done a wonderful job painting you together," he teased as he reached out and swept a curl of hair behind her ear and then caressed her jaw.

He watched as Rosa slowly crawled up to him, looking up at him through those thick lashes. She rest her arms over his thighs and placed her chin over the top of them. "Do you really think so?"

He nodded gently, leaning over to press a delicate kiss to her little nose. "I know so, baby."

She smiled adoringly at him. "Will you one day tell me of you?"

"One day soon, we will both sit together and talk about eachother. Over icecream. How does that sound?"

"Wonderful," she grinned. "It sounds wonderful."

He smiled and slowly stood up, picking her up with him and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. "So what are you in the mood for eating?" He asked quietly as he swept a curl of hair out of her face. Something about her hair was just so perfect to him.

"Cereal," she grinned.

"Cereal?" he questioned, raising a brow at her and shaking his head slightly. "It's literally.." he looked at his phone for a second to check the time. "Baby, it's quarter to eight in the evening."

"Uh huh," she said softly though by the sassy look on her face, he could tell she was thinking 'duh' in her head. "And I want cereal."

He cocked his head at her, looking at her with a look of disbelief. "You've gotten comfortable then, huh?" he asked, placing his hand under her chin and lifting her head so she was looking him right in the eyes. "Are you getting smart with me, sweet girl? What do you say?"

"Why are you talking to me like a kid?" she grumbled, wiggling out of his arms and crossing her own across her chest. That same strand of hair fell into her face and she blew it off, scowling at it.

"Well maybe if you didn't pout like one, you'd get the grown up treatment," he said calmly and she scoffed at him. He grasped her arm gently, slowly applying pressure so that'd she knew he was being serious. "Look here little girl, you stay in my house. Under my roof. I let you stay here, where you feel safe and warm. You feel that don't you?" When she didn't answer, he let go of her arm and lowered his face a little so he could see the flecks of color in her eyes. "Don't you?"

"Y-yes," she breathed out, her cheeks growing warm from the close proximity.

"Yes who?"

"Yes Noah," she replied quickly.

He smiled gently, easing the worries of him being too mad at her. "I prefer daddy, but that'll do."

He saw the awkward way she shifted around and so he eased up, backing away a little to give her space to breathe. "Look.." he sighed, cupping her cheek gently. "I pay towards your fathers hospitals bills every week. And give you the comfort of safety. All I've asked of you is to let me take care of you and just for you to trust me with things. Let me have a little bit of that control. I won't control you, but simple things like reminding you to eat, shower. That's how I show I care. Is that too much?"

She swallowed slowly and shook her head. "No, it isn't. But... you do too much for me. You spoil me. I don't deserv-"

Her eyes widened as he placed his large hand over her mouth. "Forgive me. But please.. shut. up. We're going to the store for your cereal."