Thar Shaddin

"H-hey! Don't fall!" Shade yelped as the doll twirled about. "I don't want ya ta break!"

Shade let out a sigh as he rubbed his temple and stared down at the happy doll with small amusement. He'd seen the image, felt her joys, yet he was a man. No man tears allowed. That's all. He grinned at her and gave her a roll of her eyes.

"Still, you'll have to work." He growled firmly. "You take care of my room, you stay around. Sound good?"

She stopped dancing around when he told her not to fall and looks up at him, nodding her head. Tanya would clean his room the best she could. Again the doll tries to shake the last of the dust off but it clung to her velvet apron, bonnet, and her hair. Giving up, she shakes her head a little. It was a lost cause.

Tanya walks closer to Shade and holds her arms out the same way as before. She was asking him if he would pick her up again. Not only was she dirty, her soul felt physically light inside the doll. It was starting to worry her a bit because it meant she would be forced to tell Shade a lot sooner then planned. How would he react to this surprise?

Shade blinked in surprise but picked the doll up none the less. How odd it was to have a haunted doll, held close in his arms yet not fearing it. In fact, he felt oddly amused by it as he watched her curiously.

"What is it, little dancer?" he chuckled in amusement at his own nickname for her. "Perhaps we should call you Porcollin Dancer as a nickname? Or Clinkie Toes. Bonnet bouncer..."

Shade trailed off as he thought of all the different names in his head. One came to his head, making him smile as he leaned back and grinned. "Cleany Arinie. Hmm? Arnie.... Sounds like an orphan's name." He frowned as he wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Nah, we'll find something for ya... hm?"

He glanced down at the doll curiously.

"What? Something up?"

Tanya laughed inwardly at all the funny nicknames he tried giving her. It made her happy that he was getting more comfortable around her or at least put on a good show of it. The doll pretends to wash her arms and face with an invisible cloth to tell him she needed to clean herself up.

She knew she was prolonging telling him about her life force problem but she didn't want him to flip out or think it was all a ploy to get his life force. Tanya was just promised a home at last and she dared not risk losing it so soon if ever.

"A bath?" Shade blinked as he frowned hard at the little doll. "Are you sure you won't... ah.. wear out I guess?"

He frowned as he mentally tried to figure out what to use, how warm it should be, if he should even give her. Oh, he just wasn't good at this. He never played with dolls, not even holding them due to his masculinity. Yet, now he looked at her and wished he played more with the girls next door. Yet here he was, staring at her at a complete lost.

"Ah..." Shade frowned. "I don't... I don't really know what to do in this situation to be honest...."

The doll's eyes shone with laughter and she felt sorry for his predicament. She could wash herself fine and since the China that was painted on her was permanent, it wouldn't come off if she used a cloth or sponge. Tanya could even wash her own clothes. The only thing she would need help with was getting the things needed and her hair.

The porcelain doll pantomimes 'writing' again as she looked around. It would be easier to tell him all this if she wrote it down for him to read. It was a lot easier that way than letting him stand there and keep guessing.

Seein the movement Shade immediately stood in search of the materials needed. They just half cleaned the room and already he lost half his crap. This had to be a record somewhere. Really, it had to be hands down. Finding what he needed took a bit but when he found it he shouted in triumph.

"Ahahaha!" He held them up like a trophy. "Here. This what ya need?"

Her head nods in affirmation when he holds the items up. Tanya makes a mental note to keep some folded up paper in one of her apron pockets and the led tip of a pencil in the other. That way she could scribble down a few words to help communicate better when she needs it.

But one thing at a time. Firstly, she would answer his questions and secondly, they can finish up the room before Tanya washed up or do whatever Shade wanted to do. Having lost the habit of keeping track of time, she didn't know what the time of day was at the moment.

Shade watched in no small amusement, curious why this little doll seemed so determined. Squatting in front of her he tilted his head and frowned, wrinkling his nose in thought.

"So, what'd ya need it for? Something wrong?"

She took up the pencil and started to write the best she could.

'Nothing is wrong. Didn't want you to worry. I can wash myself with a cloth or sponge. China is permanent so it won't wash off.'

Tanya rests her arms for a moment, the lightness coming and going again.

'I will need help getting the things and washing and brushing my hair. The rest I can do. Want to finish cleaning first?'

The porcelain doll set the pencil down to show that she was done writing and to give him a chance to read it.

Shade did a quick scan, his lip twitching a bit when he read about the hair and what not. A comb? Is that what she needed? That was easy enough to swipe. Sponge, water and a bucket weren't hard to find either. He glanced down at the little doll and gave her a crooked grin.

"I'll get the stuff, you clean as much as you can. When I get back you can have your own clean up... yeah?" He took the note and stuffed it in his pocket. "I'll have to leave the house for a bit though, don't want to take Lucy's things. So, you be good and stay in this room. Creators be danged if Rebbecca isn't rough with dolls."

"Alright, I'm off!" Shade gave her a sharp salute before heading out the door, glancing over his shoulder with a grin. "Try not to have too much fun darlin'."

Tanya was glad for the uptinth time that she couldn't blush. Shade better be more careful with how he threw those wolfish grins of his. He might catch the wrong lady with them one of these days. Shaking herself out of her reverie and went to work getting around the rest of the furnature in the room, pulling out a few lost odds and ends.

Walking around the market for the second time today was one of those things Shade just didn't like doing. Now he was hanging around women shops, eyeing up different soaps, sponges and odd assortments. How as he suppose to get something to wash a doll with? He didn't own a doll and he sure as heck didn't go goo gooing feminine products. Perhaps why though was because of the odd looks he was getting from everybody. A tall, husky looking man picking up a dinky pink hairbrush that had tiny fairies or something painted on the back. Ah, goodbye reputation. It was nice knowing you.

"Sir, can I help you?" Shade blinked as he turned to see a pretty little woman staring up at him with an almost amused expression on her face. He blinked as he promptly checked her out, mentally charting her at a mid eight to high seven.

"Yeah, I was looking for somethin' to wash dolls with. See, she's a china doll and she got a bit dusty." Shade explained with a rumbling chuckle. "I figured while I was looking for that I'd get something to clean out her hair and what not as well. Go big or go home, yeah?"

"I see." The lady blushed as she gave him a flirty smile. "Well, I'd suggest...."

While Shade was doing what he did best, Tanya clinked away doing the same...putting everything in order. She wasn't able to reach the shelves or the desktop so she sorted out all the things in piles and stacks on the floor. The doll had used a sock sticking out of a drawer to use as a type of sled, putting wayward items on it to drag to the right stack.

When that was done, and since she dirtied it anyways, Tanya used the sock to dust off books, trinkets, a few toys that must have belonged to Rebecca, and a framed mirror used by men to shave in front of. She even found a random spoon underneath a bookcase. The porcelain doll made a note not to ask how long that was there. All that was left to do now was to dust surfaces she couldn't reach, put things away, and sweep and scrub the floors.

Walking down the road for the second time today Shade felt his face flush with embarrassment. What was going on? What the hell was that? One moment, he nearly had a girl the next he was gaping like a fool as he spluttered out shocked spewed words.

So, did you buy the doll for your boyfriend? He must like very feminine things, especially seeing how he crossdresses! Shade moaned as the woman's voice entered his head again. Now, he was lugging a couple more things then he originally left with, a hairbow and a pretty little necklace being some of them. 'On the house for such a cute couple' she'd stated as she slipped them into his bag. He didn't have the heart to argue.

So, trudging up the stairs he announced that he was coming in to his own room and opened the door, peering down at where he stepped in fear of accidentally kicking the poor girl over. What he saw next made him stop and blink.

"Whoa, how much did you get done?" He whistled impressed before giving her a pleased grin. "You're quite the worker!"

"Ah, oh right. C'mere, I got some stuff for ya." Shade waved her over as he sat crosslegged on the ground, still marveled that he could see the floor. Shaking his head he began pulling out the odd and ends he picked up. "Sponge, soap, brush, soft cloth, a couple dresses for ya cause women always seem to like having more then one outfit.... ah! Here. Hair tie and a necklace to boot. It's fake mind ya but hey, what the crap. It's still pretty ya know?"