[Hobbling over to him, scrambling up onto a chair to look at him, but keeping her distance just in case he was just as uppity about his hair as he was when she was a toddler.]
Heh. I guess I did. . .? I dunno, the last foster family I was with had an older daughter who did my hair like this...
OPHELIA STONE!
Oh.
He's stunned. Standing, staring, at his daughter. What was his ex wifes name again β ? Unimportant.
Clearing his throat, Warren coughs into his fist, ignoring the way his eyes seem to start glistening.
" . . well. Nice to know my kid got MY good looks."
[The sound snaps her head right up. That must be him, even as doubts crept in from the edges of her mind. . . Peeking her lil self out to see her....worm dad.]
...Dad?
[Head tilt, a nose wipe on her arm.]
OPHELIA STONE!
Tensing immediately at the sound, for once in his life, Warren is silent. With a slow turn that has him maneuvering on the table, he stares at the doorway.
Mouth opening and closing a few times, before he finally gets out a quiet, "Ophelia β ?"
[There's a tiny little sound, it's almost inaudible as a head quickly retreats behind a corner. Shaking, everything starts to make sense in a child's mind. She begins to openly weep near the doorway, unable to control herself.]
Bwahhh...Dad's okaaaaaay! (π)
OPHELIA STONE!
Propped up on a table and facing the door, Warren quietly grumbles to himself. Of course Maxine would refuse to have him in the same room as she talks to Hypno.
" β I mean, what am I, chopped worm?" Scoff!
[Ophie hears a familiar voice. One she hasn't heard since. . . oh god. Tears threaten the child's already watery blues, she wipes them away, and searches around for the source of the voice. . .]
