persongifLullaby *‘Child, you are my little ray of light Like a fire that glows in the darkest night. If you find me I will hold you tight Never letting go I promise I’ll be there for you.’* Jac had awoken to the voice of her mother as she whispered into the young woman’s ear. She spoke such clarity, echoes like droplets of water, air like the soft wind against her skin. This had to have been real, no way it couldn't be.. But much to Jac's despair, reality had come for her as she gradually opened her eyes. She saw the full moon still beamed through the curtains as she found herself within the shelter of Richard’s hand. The Wile giant was sound asleep, yet he had subconsciously brought her up to his chest. On an ordinary night, his would have provided maximum comfort for the smaller human, but this time she was unable to feel the joy that this level of affection would normally bring. Jac couldn’t shake off the feeling that began to well up from her chest. It had been months since she had relapses of the visions of her mother, so for such a dream to just show up unexpectedly.. and with that particular song no less? This had put a damper in her spirits and unearthed unspeakable anxiety that was shaking her to the very pit of her core. She had fought hard to weather her fluctuating emotions, but in the end, she was unable to hold back hot, stinging tears. Richard steadily opened his eyelids by the sound of Jac’s various gasps and wheezes. He looked down at the small woman who was curled up in the dip of his right palm, his eyes gradually shedding off some of their drowsiness as he began to realize that she was actually crying. The Wile giant’s keen ears was able to pick up on her sobs despite the tiny human’s best efforts to try and hide them. “What’s wrong?” He spoke softly, his tired voice still lingering. Jac was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to pay mind to what was said, although she did quiet down somewhat. Perhaps she just chose to not answer him. Richard was not surprised to see her like this, but he could never get used to it. This exact scenario would play out every once in a while for about as long as he could remember; the trigger was apparently always the same, but he was never given the details as to exactly why. After seeing what this has been doing to Jac, and always getting the same dodging reaction whenever he had brought it up, over time he felt that it was better not to question it. Or perhaps he had become too afraid to ask. Instead, Richard brought his other hand behind the one that held Jac. He then slowly but surely placed her all the way against his chest, his hands completely covering her up as she was nestled onto the fabric of his shirt. He then began to start humming a sweet melody of his own. The tune was pleasant, as gentle as the giant could muster with his voice. With variables ranging from a cheerful, upbeat hum, to a quiet and more graceful sound. After a few short minutes, Jac’s sorrow had begun to dissipate, as she listened intently to the giant’s voice as her mind spawned new visuals that tapped into her imagination. It wasn’t long before she finally spoke. “What are these songs? They all sound so… refreshing.” “They’re Wile giant hymns,” Richard whispered, “passed down from generations. They have different meanings but nowadays they’re more commonly used for lullabies.” “Do you know the lyrics?” Jac said, as she quietly wiped the remaining liquid off of her eyes and nose. “I know of some. Many of them are probably difficult to comprehend for you, but I’ll try to think of one that I can sing.” Richard paused for a moment, before he found one that he thought would be easy enough to share with the human. He cleared his throat, and began in a near whisper. “Why are you crying dear child The heavens bring the stars and the moon The wolf in the forest, the birds in the trees, the night flies dance in the twilight there is much to see” “What do these words mean?” “I did say that they were cryptic,” Richard chuckled, “but yeah… I think it’s meant to be interpreted in different ways. But I personally think it means that even if there is stuff in the world that makes you feel sad, there’s still enough beauty in this planet to not want to… give up.” There was a hint of concern in Jac’s face, which the Wile giant picked up on right away. “I’m sorry.. It’s just… this was one of the many things I’ve used as a coping mechanism growing up.” “It’s okay, I understand.” Jac looked down on the indents of the giant’s hand momentarily. Her mind was drifting once more, but this time with a new resolve. 'Perhaps that’s what mother was trying to tell me all along.’ The beginning of new tears started to form on the base of her eyes. Richard realized what was happening and worried that it could have been his own fault, but instead of dwelling on it he chose to switch focus onto a more pleasant tune. “Ode to the bush warbler building his nest sweet songs that he sings, the cherry he brings on route to gather many food in his crop bring them home to seven mouths without stop.” That got a laugh out of the smaller woman, which brought a sense of relief to the giant. “Is that a real Wile giant song?” “No, you got me. I just made it up on the fly.” “That wasn’t too bad though for something you thought up in a few seconds. You should record that!” “Nah, I had already forgotten most of it.” The two friends laughed it out, before Richard continued to come up with different songs to hum. The new tunes ranged from an array of folk songs to popular music slowed to an almost music box pace. Jac chose to quietly listen through the rest of this special little concert that her friend made just for her, but it wasn’t long before she fell back into the world of dreams once more. This time the clouds that formed before were long gone, bringing with it clearer skies and sweeter dreams. Shortly after Richard followed suit while in the middle of a tune, he had apparently sung himself to sleep.CozyJac watched the chopped up timber as it was tossed into the blaze. She was awe stricken by how massive the fire became in such a short time, but her sense of wonder grew to a sliver of uncertainty as her thoughts began to cloud. It was just right for a fireplace in a giant household, but from the perspective of a human, there was enough of an inferno to completely engulf the likes of a structure more scaled to her size. "There, that should do it." Bo said as he tossed the last of the firewood that was needed. "That'll certainly keep us comfortable for the evening." Jac sat at a safe distance on top of Bo's single seated couch, yet there was no escaping the sight of the caged flames. Jac couldn't help but stare blankly as she gripped her nails into the fabric. When Bo finally made his way over to her side, he could instantly tell that something was off. "You all right?" Jac was in a trance, she gazed without blinking but a few times that minute. It took several hand waves and near shouts before the young woman snapped out of it at last. "Elheim to Jac! Can you read me!" "Huh?" Jac literally shook her head, her hair whipped from side to side. "Were you daydreaming again?" Asked Bo. "S...sorta? I guess?" Jac took a deep breath and explained what she was seeing from her own point of view. Her words steadily opened the Bunyan giant's eyes. "Oh. I'm... sorry if setting up the fireplace scared you.." "Wha~? Nononono it's not like that. It just.. feels weird I guess." "Well I don't blame you... But doncha worry, that fire's 100 percent contained! You'll be safe without a doubt." "Yeah, I guess that should be obvious." Bo could tell that his adopted sister was still visibly uneasy, which was far from normal for her. But without a second thought, Bo was on it. He stepped into the kitchen for just a moment to whip up some pick me ups just for this occasion. As the microwave heated their drinks, he pulled out a couple of cookies to add as a topping. Right before he heard the ping, he pulled out the tiniest miniature he could find in the cabinet. Slowly and as gingerly as he could, he poured the hot brew of chocolate and cream into the tiny cup. He then shaved a little bit of the vanilla crumbles into her drink, not as fancy as he would have liked but it would have to do. In a few short minutes, Bo was back with the hot cocoa at hand, taking extra measures to stabilize his sister's helping. "There you go sweet pea. Sorry, I tried to add your cookie in just the right amount but it broke." "Well, I guess that's just how the cookie crumbles." That got a chuckle out of the Bunyan giant. Jac then looked at the mug with a big smile on her face. "But yeah, it's the thought that counts." Bo sat down and brought Jac over to his chest. The human then proceeded to walk over to the crook of his arm where she settled down. As soon as she took the first sip, Jac perked right up; the sugar gave her a much needed boost, but just the right amount, not overbearing as was the case when consuming most giant confections. Bo really knew how to make it work. The two drank in silence as they took their time to soak in the warmth of their brew. After Bo was about half way done, he finally spoke. "I used to be terrified of fires as a kid. Especially after what happened to my mom." "Yeah.." Jac replied quietly, "I can imagine." "But, I eventually got over it, and now I even volunteer to help stop small fires if there's ever a need. So, what I'm saying is, if I can get past it, so can you. Cause you're the bravest, most toughest person I know." "I'm not as strong as you. C'mon!" Jac laughed. "Not physically, of course! But you know what I mean. It'll take time, so don't feel bad about it. For now, you've got me to keep you safe." "Since you fight these things sometimes, I guess I don't have to worry." "Mmmhm!" Jac asked Bo to set the cup aside as she began to settle down. She was a lot more relaxed now that she was literally on top of her big brother, and she could finally bask under the warmth and the soft glow of the very flames she had gotten so worked up over just minutes before. The two continued to relax for the rest of the lazy evening in that very spot. And it would not be long before the two of them would drift to a sound slumber.