[Atoli01]

Admittedly, the action of another person brushing her hair was something beyond soothing to her. "Just like momma..." she muttered quietly between bites of her bagel. She didn't know if Sam had heard her, and she didn't particularly care in that moment. In fact, she hadn't even realized the words slipped from her tongue. Sam's words, however, knocked her out of that heaven that she was in. "H-huh? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to--" she replied quickly, and snatched the brush from Sam. "I mean, um... thank you, but I'll be okay." Having a butler, or anyone close to the sort was... She was a poor girl. Being pampered was no good. Dolly placed her bagel in her lap and struggled through the last of her knots, trying to keep her beet red face hidden the entire time.

"Elliot is..." she finally began, brushing out one last bit of that morning's bird's nest. "He's nice. He likes making people smile. Because he can't, y'know? He's actually pretty shy and... very sad. But he doesn't let that show on stage. He brightens up the entire room when he performs," she laughed. "He joined the circus around the same time I did, to have some money to be able to send home to his family. But two years later, they all... died... from a house fire... He used to be just as happy off stage as he was on, but now..." A sigh escaped her lips as she took a bite out of her bagel.

[Baconwizard]

Samael stared at Dolly for a while, trying to puzzle out what was going on in that girl's head. Was he like a mother, now? That was probably better than the status of a butler, to be sure, but... still strange. Strange seemed to be the appropriate word to describe her. Samael smiled automatically as she brushed through her hair with the brush, maintaining the usual facade of cool professionalism. Certainly, there was nothing for her to blush over.

As Dolly began to describe Elliot, Samael's smile slipped into a small frown of concern, his eyes flicking down to stare intently at the wood grain of the floorboards. He sighed through his nose, then nodded, returning his attention back to Dolly. "Now he is twice as sad as before." Samael ran a hand through his silvery hair, thinking for a moment. "If you don't mind answering another question... How do you believe Elliot would best be saved from despair? Do you wish to be the agent of his happiness? Or do you believe that it is something that he should come to terms on his own? I can speed up the process, of course, but I would like to have an idea of what you believe is the right thing to do. You know Elliot better than I."

[Atoli01]

The question took Dolly by surprise. "I don't know," she told him. No matter how many times she wished for him to happy, no matter how many times she had tried to cheer him, to summon even the slightest hint of a smile, how to return him to his old self was something she had never given much consideration to. It would happen, she had always assured herself, as long as she tried hard enough. It was then that the first sparks of doubt appeared in her mind. Was it something that was even possible? Was his depression an integral part of him, something that growing older had ground into him?

She bit her lips and began fiddling with her fingers. An answer, an answer... Was she even as close to Elliot as she had thought before. "I...  ask me later," she said. Maybe when she wasn't as tired. Maybe when her brain got running. "Maybe after I've talked to him again." It would do little good, she assumed, but there was a chance. She was banking on chances. She had always banked on chances. "I'm the one who knows him best, so of course I'll be able to answer something like that. I mean-- the answer is pretty obvious, I just want to make sure," she said, her confidence inflated by a fake sense of pride.

[Baconwizard]

Curiouser and curiouser. Samael smiled, recalling a line from a book he had read once. Now that he thought about it, Dolly really was like that girl Alice, wasn't she? Lost in a nonsensical maze, forced to be lead astray by even more nonsensical guides. Funny how books liked to apply themselves to life. Samael wanted to laugh, amused by his distracting thoughts.

Back to the subject at hand, it was apparent that Dolly had little clue what to do. That was fine. If the responsibility of discovering a cure for Elliot's emotions laid on Dolly's shoulders, it would be easier to make her more desperate. It would be easy, then, for Samael to lead her off the proper path and into the darkness with Elliot. Samael smiled at Dolly, then bowed his head. "But of course," he said, an air of assurance about him. "I'll abide by whatever your instructions are, Miss Dolly."

[Atoli01]

She was silent for a moment following her proud declaration. She was only lying to herself. Finally, she spoke, and offered Sam a simple, "Thank you." Being able to say something like "it won't be long" would have been nice, though it wasn't a thing she could promise. On the other hand, would Sam even be able to begin his work without being given an initial direction? She doubted it. It was all the more reason why she needed to make a decision quickly.

It took her a long while, but she had finally finished the first half of her bagel. Dolly paused only to take a sip of her juice before she started on the second half. "Sam, why don't you eat anything?" she asked. He must have been hungry. Or... maybe he had already ate something that day? She didn't know.

[Baconwizard]

Samael smiled at Dolly's concern, one eyebrow raising slightly. "I have no need for food," he said, leaning back on Dolly's bed, bracing his weight on his hands. "I can eat, of course, but it's more of a hobby than anything necessary. I would much prefer if you were to finish breakfast, Miss Dolly." Samael gestured to the bagel in her hands, indicating for Dolly to continue eating.

[Atoli01]

Dolly blinked at him, confusion flashing in her eyes for a moment, before she stammered, "O-oh, that's right. Because you're not human." It wasn't anything that required a response from his end, but rather more a note to herself. She wondered in what other ways Sam differed from herself, though she dared not ask. Instead, she sat in silence until all of her bagel had been eaten, and turned to Samael. "Today we have off. Are you busy?" she asked. He seemed to be at her beck and call, but there would have to be times when he was going to busy himself.

[Baconwizard]

Samael could have laughed at Dolly's astute observation.  Yes, that was right, because he wasn't human. It would probably take her a long time to figure Samael out at this rate. He stood up from the bed, brushing his jacket off, then turned to incline his head towards the girl. "I'm free do go and do whatever it is you need me to, Miss Dolly."

[Atoli01]

Dolly nodded. "In that case, is it okay to introduce you to a few people?" she asked him. She was speaking of Elliot and Horatio, of course. Despite the long time she had spent with the circus, those were the only two which she had a relationship with beyond simply "co-workers". It would be nice if Samael could get along with those two as well... "Maybe we can do something afterwards," she said. she knew introductions weren't always the most exciting thing, but it was a free day and Samael said he was free to go wherever she wished... Elliot and Horatio only reluctantly went anywhere with her on free days. It would be a change.

[Baconwizard]

Samael smiled, inclining his head smoothly. "Of course I would love to be introduced to your friends." Dolly probably meant Elliot, of course. Samael would prefer to be secret, and work from the shadows, but... perhaps this could work as well. It would mean to don another mask, to befriend Elliot and then effectively drive him even further away from those he loved. Yes, this could work out well. With both Elliot and Dolly as the demon's puppets, unaware of their strings, they would unwittingly stroll down the path to their own ruin. How delightful. Samael's smile grew wider, and he positively beamed at Dolly, his expression alight with excitement and anticipation. "I'd love to accompany you anywhere. Not many of the people I've served have treated me like a... have treated me with such closeness. Indeed, my job feels more like servitude than anything else." Samael laughed, a slight cringe on his face. "This is very different to me."