Nursery Rhymes (Hoodie x E. Jack)

Epilogue

"So, the Operator approves,.." Hoodie said while holding Abigail with one arm, her little legs wrapped around his waist.

Toby and Masky glanced at each other. Masky sat down at the table, needing to take a seat.

"So," he said and rubbed his face under his mask. "You left to find one cannibal, and came back with two."

Hoodie shrugged. "Mmmyeah."

Toby tilted his head as he gazed at the little girl, she staring back at him.

"Well," Masky sighed and sat back. "It appears that whenever you leave, you return with more then you left with. What's her name?"

Hoodie smiled and looked at the young cannibal. "Tell him, who are you?"

Hunching she held tightly onto Hoodie and glanced over in Masky's direction. "...Abigail," she said in a small voice.

Both Toby and Masky were rather shocked with her way of speaking, her clear tone and more.

"It's nice to meet you Abigail. I'm Masky, that's Toby," Masky introduced and pointed his thumb at the youngest proxy. She looked between the two and rested her head on Hoodie's shoulder. "It's nice to meet you," she mumbled shyly.

The sounds and sight of static filled the heads of all the proxies as the ancient creature left the residence. Jack came walking down the hallway with a grin underneath his mask. Going over to Hoodie he wrapped his arm around his proxy's lower back. "It's settled, I'll be taking your place until you're better."

Hoodie smiled up at him and even dared to give him a kiss on the corner of his mask in front of the others. Masky said nothing about this but Toby faked gagging.

"Cool, nice to see we have a replacement once in a while," Masky joked and stood back up, no longer needing to sit. Toby beamed over at Jack, delighted to have him around.

The cannibal let go of Hoodie and stood straight, having another problem to address. "Masky, Toby," he started, making sure he had their attention and paused a moment.

Masky raised an eyebrow at him, Toby lost his smile due to Jack's serious tone.

"I'm sorry. Hoodie told me how my absence had affected more then just himself, and I want to apologize. It wasn't anything either of you, any of you, had done. And it was not right of me just to walk out and not say anything. I took our relations for granted, and did not mean to hurt you if I have. Please, forgive me for my rude behavior and for unintentionally hurting you so."

The room stayed quiet and still for a moment. Then, Masky took a deep breathe before walking over and holding out his hand. "Don't be so quiet, your problems are Hoodie's problems and proxies tend to share problems."

Jack chuckled and shook his hand. "I'll try not to be."

Smiling reassured Masky gave his hand a light squeeze. "Then I forgive you."

"Thank you," the cannibal spoke sincerely.

Once he backed away Toby fumbled for a moment, having everyone's attention suddenly making him nervous.

Jack appeared calm, but was nervous as well. Between the two he feared Toby would not accept his apology and began to believe it so.

The young proxy lifted his head and looked up at Jack, tears in his honey brown eyes. "Y-you won't leave again without telling someone, right?"

"For being nineteen you sure are a kid," Jack joked softly.

Toby jumped over and embraced the organ eater tightly, burying his face into his sweatshirt. Chuckling Jack hugged him back.

"I forgive you," Toby hiccuped.

"Thank you," Jack responded gently as Toby pulled away.

Hoodie smiled brilliantly at his friends and beloved before setting Abigail down. She stayed close to him and clenched her small hands onto Hoodie's shirt. "Abi," Hoodie said and brushed her ebony hair out of her face, hair just like her aunts.

"Yes?"

"Just like with me, you aren't to hurt Toby or Masky okay? Jack, Father, will keep you fed no matter what."

Abigail nodded up at him, the gleam in her empty eyes trusting. Hoodie knew that she would trust him before anyone else. He found it sweet, but worrying.

His mission now was to get Abigail to trust Jack the way she trusted him, which Hoodie knew was going to be a daunting, time consuming task. But he was up for it. For Jack, he would do this.

Messing with her hair some Hoodie began to explain how things would work and such, everyone listened to understand their roll in helping this little girl become a woman.

In the back of his head, Hoodie hummed and asked himself how much this little cannibal was about to change their life's.