upsidedowns | (no subject)

Using ones abilities to the fullest extent and beyond to defeat a Monster that should not be in her reality had taken a lot out of her. Sending it and herself back to the monster to keep Mike and Dustin safe. To keep everyone she loved safe? That had been worse.

And then tearing a hole through the universes to get out of the Upside Down, only to end up somewhere she'd never been before? She was surprised she wasn't dead.

Or maybe she was and this was another Upside Down and she was stuck? Whatever the case, after much wandering and almost passing out, she found herself digging through the trash behind a burger joint, somewhere in Nevada.

She was dirty as can be, pink dress torn and stained with blood and the stink of the Upside down, blue jacket in a similar state and everything smelling like man-made saltwater. Her skin was pale to the point of being grey, bruises around her eyes and blood on her face from an intense nosebleed and still she was pressing on, digging and hoping to find something to eat.

Something to 'recharge her batteries' with.

But the sound of someone coming out of the closing restaurant was enough to send a spike of fear through her, the small girl ducking behind the dumpster and trying to make herself small as possible.

Go away go away go away go away she thinks over and over, trying to not shake from exhaustion ad fear.

And fatigue. She was, after all, close to half dead, so as she tried to will the other person away, her eyes started drifting shut and with a metallic thump that woke her up, her head hit the side of the dumpster.

Shit.

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He could hear the vagrant as he walked into the Burger King...and smelled the little girl that reeked of blood and battle and something that wasn't magic, but close.

Inside, he ordered a couple extra burgers and those new hot dogs they were serving before he headed outside. Pausing in the alley, he cocked his head to listen, scented the air...

He fell back on animal instinct as he approached the dumpster and dropped to a crouch. A moment later, a head of thick red and black hair slowly peeked around the corner of the dumpster at eye level with the girl until his face was visible. Careful to keep his gaze at her nose and forehead rather than challenging her with a direct stare, he offered her a close lipped smile so he wouldn't bare teeth at her.

Then, he promptly lifted a hand, containing the bag of extra food he'd ordered, and extended it out to her.

She has her eyes closed when Rock peeks around the dumpster, but she is very aware he's here. She's good at being aware. Good at understanding human kindness? She's learning. The bag gets stared at once she does open her very, very bloodshot and tired eyes, and then she watches Rock as she very carefully and hesitantly reaches for the bag, the 011 tattoo on her left wrist visible as her fingers curl around the top of the bag, pulling it towards herself.

She doesn't open the bag yet, even though the scent is wonderful and her stomach reacts loudly. Her eyes have drifted to Rock's bright red hair and it seems to have confused her significantly.

This was very new to her.

Rocky released the bag when she took it, feeling a pang of sympathy when he heard her stomach growl audibly. Following her gaze after a moment to his hair, his eyes rolling upwards and crossing while he tried to stare at a lock of it that hung across his forehead, he made a face...then reached up and ruffled his hair vigorously until his hair was suitably ruffled.

Once he was sure it was standing up on end, he offered her his biggest dopey smile, hoping to make her laugh...or at the very least, put her at ease.

El watches as the man scrubs his hands through his hair, very curious as to what he was doing. Once it was standing on end and he was goober grinning at her, she managed a very small smile in return.

The thing about the smile, however, is it doesn't look like something that was used all that often, if ever, so it has an uncertain quality. But it does wonders or her tired, sickly face.

She rubs her hand through her own, very short hair, shrugging a bit when nothing happens. Her hair doesn't do that.

Remembering what Benny taught her about handshakes and introductions, she holds out her right hand very slowly and speaks softly.

"Eleven."

The quiet, musical little voice that ekes out what he can only assume is a name is encouraging. With a nod, Rocky accepts her handshake graciously, keeping his grip firm, but gentle.

"Rocky." he replies, and finally nods to the tattoo on her wrist. "That's very convenient. Y'know, in case you ever forget your name. Happens to me from time to time. Usually there's a pretty girl involved." He pauses, making a point of looking sheepish. "So, uh...thanks for introducing yourself first. Gave me time to remember mine." Lifting a hand, he showed his tattoo-free wrist. "I'm not so lucky."

Releasing her hand, Rocky flared his nostrils, trying to place her scent again and failing. With a curious little frown, he thought carefully about his next words before speaking.

"You know, if you need a safe place to stay? You can always come home with me for a little while. I don't answer to the cops, or anyone's parents...but if I need to protect someone, I can be like a cop if I have to. A special cop, one that doesn't answer to anybody."

He hesitates...then after a moment, he reaches up to take off his glasses and lets his eyes shift from dark brown to bright, feral yellow-gold.

At the mention of her tattoo, El's smile vanishes and she tucks her arm against her chest. Her eyebrows furrow ad she leans away some, clearly not wanting to or even *willing* to discuss the tattoo. Whatever it's from, she doesn't like it.

She does like what he says about being her protector, someone like a cop. She needs that. Protection. She can take care of herself normally, but for now? Not so much and it's obvious when she leans forward to get a better look.

The momentum is too much for her, slight as it was, and she almost falls flat on her face. One hand hits the ground, barely holding her steady.

It's this that makes the decision for her.

"Yes. Protection. A special cop." She'd like all of this, please and thank you.

Rocky darts further forward from his place, crouched around the corner of the dumpster as she falls. A moment later, the hand on the ground is lifted free as he gently shifts to scoop her into his arms, making a point of tucking the bag of food against her chest before he's lifting her and standing.

"I gotcha, cub." he soothes, handling her like she weighs nothing...and she doesn't, it's not just his strength. She's weirdly light in his arms, and he thinks about Mr. Lynden's lectures on magic, and the weight of a soul...

"The only place you're going is to bed. With a full belly and some clean pajamas." he assured her as he carried her out of the alley...and as he said it, the gentle and innocuous words held a heavier note, something blacker and full of blood that were not meant for her, but rather wrapped around her, a protective wall of terrible things that would shield her from all harm.

Reaching his car, Rocky deposited her in the passenger's seat and buckled her in. He then gently reached out to open the bag of food he'd given her and pulled out a hamburger, pressing it into her hand.

"I'll drive. You eat. That's your job." he informed her with a smile and a pointed finger, pretending to be stern. "You up to the task?"

Once she's in his arms, she curls into him, one hand once again clutching the bag and the other curled into his shirt. El doesn't want to be put down or leave his side, not with how safe and protected she felt. Other kids would run away from the strange man offering food and safety because of what their parents taught them. But not El.

El was never taught how to survive. Just how to find. And hurt. And she didn't want that anymore.

She lets herself be buckled in, watching Rock carefully but without the caution from before. Now, it's basic curiosity.

The burger in her hand? It has two bites taken out of it before Rocky tells her her task. After the two bites are gone, another is taken, followed by fries. Baby girl ca eat. Baby girl will eat. There will be nothing left of Rocky's extra hot dogs and burgers when they get home and instead, a girl almost asleep in the front seat, curled into a ball as she watched the world roll by.

The ride home isn't a long one, and Rocky doesn't even try to help her out of the car: once he's parked in the structure, he walks around and picks her up again, along with what's left of his food.

Once he gets into the apartment, he settles her on the couch. If she's aware enough, she'll notice the lighting and camera setup still around his sofa from an earlier recording session, along with the remnants of a costume he was wearing during the filming, complete with a giant pink fake mustache sitting on the coffee table.

He leaves the rest of his Burger King with her on the couch, then goes looking for a few things she's going to need.

When he finally comes back to gently wake her, he has a pillow and blanket piled on the back of the couch, and a t-shirt she can change into along with an old pair of gym shorts Quinn left at his place at some point. They're still probably too big for her little body, but they have a drawstring, and they're smaller than most of his clothes.

Gently shaking her awake, Rocky smiles down at her.

"Hey, Ellie." he croons gently. "C'mon, cub. If you can wake up for me for just a couple minutes, I'll let you sleep as long as you want. I got you some clean clothes so you can go clean up and change in the bathroom, 'kay? Then I'll put you to bed for as long as you want, alright?"