[|Nier/ACIV: BF|] Things Worth Fighting For [|1-on-1 RP|]

She was uncomfortable with the topic. That was easy to see. Nier worried that if he continued to push the subject, they would get no more answers. For the time being, he figured it might have been best to drop it.

He shook his head at the sullen sounding reply. It wasn't his intention to cause any ill nature between them. For all intents and purposes, he was trying to help and understand what she meant.

"Forgive me for prying," he finally said, "Perhaps it's simply a matter for another time."

That's all he could offer. Reks was tired as it was. For now, the subject seemed best to drop. He spared a quick glance toward Weiss as if to silently warn him not to speak.

She did have a point though. There were many things to worry about, his daughters health included in that. Nier sighed, shaking his head.

"I suppose that's true enough," he answered, "My daughter is sick. I need to look after her well being. But I don't want you to think that you're not important either."

In hindsight, she was. She seemingly had no home now, no place to go. Nier wouldn't feel right just letting her walk out on her own, especially fi she didn't know of the dangers out there.

---- [x] ----

It was strange to hear that not everyone got schooling in this time. In fact, it was downright odd. She'd grown up knowing just about every kid went to school. Did that mean Hilary was educated to?

She didn't ask, only mulled over it. When she discovered more of this place, then she'd inquire on more things. Perhaps she just needed to pick up a few books. Maybe they could provide something.

It was just another thought she shoved into the back of her mind. She'd figure things out a little at a time. She just had to work to do it.

The conversation was drawn back to those explosives however. Hilary looked a little amused by the fact that she was so caught off guard. She would have never thought she'd meet someone who took up such a hobby however.

"Oh...I...I didn't plan on it," she finally stammered her reply, "Even less so now."

He chuckled again, seeming amused by that point. A small smile tugged at her lips. Despite her wariness before, she was growing a little comfortable. She'd keep an eye out but who knew? Hilary didn't seem like a bad man.

Reks shook her head and mentioned that it yet again wasn’t something to bother with at Nier’s apology. At the very least Weiss wasn’t saying anything rude again. It was enough that she was confused and lost as it was, she didn’t need insults, veiled or not, hurled at her on top of it all. Truth be told, Reks wasn’t planning on mentioning this stuff again any time soon. There was only so much one girl could take.

The news that Yonah was sick wasn’t too surprising considering his insistence that she be in bed though Reks had to wonder how serious it was. Yonah hadn’t looked too pale but then with such white hair it might have been hidden well. Curiosity filled Reks at that, glancing towards the stairs. With that bit of news and Nier insisting that she was important too was a bit overwhelming.

“Well, is there something I can do to help?” she wondered after mulling it over for a second or two. “I wouldn’t feel right not repaying you somehow.”

If there was something she could do then maybe things could be sorted out that way. She wasn’t sure if she could fight off those monsters, not as she was now, but perhaps in the future she could. Until such a time she could try to help out in other ways, if it was possible.

She wondered if a place like this would have any room for her; a job and a home, they couldn’t be easy to find if everything was already filled by those who lived in the village already. Reks wasn’t sure what she could do if that was the case though.

----[x]----

If Hilary had to guess it looked like Cerise was thinking over what had been said until now. Perhaps that was for the best considering she was not native to the West Indies much less with way of life in many places around the world. In time she might grow accustomed to it all.

Hilary took to skimming through his book as she thought, occasionally sparing a glance her way. It was easy enough to mark his place with his finger anyways. Cerise didn’t seem too talkative at the moment and so he managed to get through several pages until she’d spoken up again.

“Well, then I have little to worry about,” Hilary noted lightly.

Cerise seemed to settle into her seat carefully, still looking carefully around. Perhaps she thought he might be hiding components for explosives in this very room though Hilary wouldn’t correct her on that. In a way it was too amusing to want to.

“I assure you the seat will not bite you,” he joked, raising an eyebrow her way.

Nier had a lot to worry about. Yonah being restless as she was was always a major concern. At times, she'd be out and about despite him wanting her to stay put. It was becoming difficult to get her to stay home.

The illness was worse now. He had to find a cure for it. There was just the matter of keeping her home though. Every time he left, she seemed to take the opportunity.

He blinked, looking back at Reks when she offered some form of help. Nier considered it for a long moment. It wasn't uncommon for people to pay back others through help.

"I could ask you to look after Yonah," he answered, "She's restless and needs the company. At times, she even sneaks out of the house. I worry what she'll get into."

"And that worry will be the death of you, you are aware," Weiss said, "She's young. Being young and sick do not exactly go hand in hand."

Nier sighed at that, well aware of the truth behind those words. He just wanted her well again.

"If you don't mind doing that, then I think we can call this even," Nier finally finished.

If that was satisfactory, then he'd worry a little less. Yonah would enjoy the company, no doubt. Nier just wanted his daughter to be happy. Reks might very well be able to bring that happiness to her.

---- [x] ----

Cerise wondered how that orb had brought her here or why it had. Of all things she could have picked up that day, it had to be that strange rock. What a mess it had dragged her into.

She tried to shake it from her head, occasionally pausing in her sketches to observe them and mark finer details. There were merely doodles though she put work into them nonetheless.

Hilary appeared to be the laid back sort. He didn't tell her if there was anything in the room or even seemed bothered that she might pick something up. He simply warned caution which she gladly took.

Cerise shifted in the seat. It was such a strange couch, nothing like she was used to. She didn't mention it.

Lifting her gaze when she spoke, she smiled a little again. It really did help, this joking about though it was subtle. Perhaps he didn't dabble into such things often.

"No, I'm sure that's not the case," she replied, her tone a little bit lighter. It felt better being like this, "I'm just...a little skittish still."

It would take a long while before she settled. When life became routine, she would be fine. That was, if life ever was routine again. For all she knew, it never would be.

"But are there really bombs in here?" she prodded again, watching that amusement dance on his features again. "Really, I'm not going to bump into something and set something off, am I?"

It seemed to take Nier a moment or two to realize what she’d asked. When he did it was Reks’s turn to be surprised; it wasn’t like she’d been expecting to be asked to babysit his daughter when she already seemed capable of it herself. All the same it wasn’t something that Reks felt she could just turn down; what else was she going to be able to do to repay Nier?

“Er, yeah, I don’t mind,” Reks said finally, glancing between Nier and Weiss. From the sounds of it Yonah’s situation and penchant to wander outside while sick seemed to weigh heavily while Nier was away. Whatever he did that kept him gone wasn’t her place to ask however.

Mindlessly Reks toyed with the tears in her sleeve as time passed. It was stained with her own blood and by this time she’d have a hell of a time getting it all out but Reks didn’t seem to be bothered by this. There were other things to worry about than ruined clothes at the moment.

“Sounds simple enough,” she carried on after a moment. ’That just leaves finding somewhere to stay then…’

That thought she kept to herself for the time being. It was hard enough asking for help about simple things but now she worried about asking for too much of it. There was also the matter of getting money for necessities for herself later on but Reks tried not to focus on all of that at once. She was already in enough pain; she didn’t need a stress-induced headache on top of it all.

----[x]----

He could hear the scratching of the pen among paper. It was a near constant thing, halting only when Cerise seemed to need to look over what she was doing or to dip the pen in the ink well again. Hilary didn’t bother trying to figure out what she was drawing, if she wanted to show him she would in time. That was assuming she trusted him enough to of course.

When he mentioned how often she was shuffling in her seat between drawings she mentioned being skittish. Hilary supposed that was to be the case, just a few short hours ago she’d been aboard a slave trader vessel for who knew how many days. It was by luck alone that Hilary had seen and decided to buy her. He still wasn’t sure if this was a wish investment or not.

“I see,” he simply said, leaving it at that.

Another handful of minutes must have passed in that quiet manner. Occasionally he’d turn a page, adding to the soft sounds in the room. If Hilary could hear anyone outside, going about his or her day, he paid it no mind.

Eventually Cerise spoke up yet again, asking about explosives hidden in the house. Another chuckle left Hilary at that as he shook his head. It seemed this was a thought that she wasn’t able to shake from her min at all.

“Ah, you’re worrying too much,” Hilary teased again. He noticeably did not answer the question however. “It is nothing to worry your little head about, I assure you.”

Reks seemed a little hesitant on the idea at first. Nier didn't mind this. It was a bit of a big job, especially knowing Yonah might try to sneak out anyways. Knowing his daughter, she might even try to convince Reks to let her leave.

It wasn't her burden to deal with and if Reks didn't want to, he would understand. This was a large job in and of itself.

When she answered, he nodded and spared a smile. As hesitant as her words might have been, they'd settled on something. That much was a relief for Nier.

"Good, then we have that settled," he answered, "When she actually sits and rests, she isn't trouble. Yonah just likes to wander without my knowing it."

He could understand why, however. As Weiss had said, Yonah was young. She wanted to experience life like children her age could. It was sad knowing that she couldn't do that.

"What are you thinking about?" Nier inquired shortly after, noting the thoughtful look that crossed her face.

---- [x] ----

Whatever Hilary was thinking in those few quiet minutes, Cerise couldn't say. She didn't know the man at all. In time, that might change. Why he had decided to 'buy' her, she could really only assume at this point.

Despite not admitting it, she was grateful for that. It was strange to think that'd she'd been sold to a stranger but it wasn't as if he was cracking the whip. In fact, she was surprised by the amount of kindness he was showing.

On occasion, she glanced down at that dark mark again. She ran her thumb over it, watching her skin. It did look like a tattoo of sorts.

After some of her worries were spoken, he joked again. She smiled a little, relaxing a bit. She had a habit of running into things when she wasn't paying attention.

"Well, I suppose I should just not worry about it," she replied, her tone a little lighter, "What's the worst that could happen?"

She glanced back down at that mark afterward, running her thumb over it. Where did it come from? Now that she glanced on it, it almost startled her. It just startled her that it was there.

When she did answer Nier offered a smile, looking at least a little relieved. Perhaps it really was a weight off his shoulders knowing that someone would be able to keep an eye on Yonah and be able to help her if something happened. Reks could understand that much even if she had no children of her own.

“I’m sure I can handle that much,” Reks assured. “My niece was more rambunctious than that.”

From the sounds of it Yonah would be much easier to deal with even when she acted up. From what brief bit Reks had seen of her Yonah seemed like a pretty calm girl to boot, any trouble she’d cause would be easy enough to deal with. Reks supposed it’d just be getting used to each other that’d be the troublesome part.

If anything else was said after that Reks didn’t catch it. She’d grown lost in thought, attempting to ignore the other problems that swam to the forefront of her mind and failing in that. It seemed like it was obvious she’d grown thoughtful, Nier having to snap her out of it. She blinked up at him for a second, what he asked sinking in slowly.

“Oh, uh, it’s nothing!” she assured, raising her hands as if to ward off any other questions. She rose from her seat, her legs feeling steadier than they had before. At least now she wasn’t in danger of keeling over. “Maybe I should go wander around the village for a bit though, learn where everything is.”

Without waiting for an answer she left, closing the wooden door behind her. The breeze that blew by was chilly though not unpleasantly so, and at least the fresh air might do her some good. It at least would give her something to distract herself from her other concerns at least.

----[x]----

From the corner of his eye Hilary noted that Cerise took the time to start tracing her marking, still studying it. It was a new thing she’d taken up in the last few minutes, breaking up the sound of the pen on paper more so now than before. If that’s what kept her happy then Hilary wouldn’t question her, if his marking was indeed new to her then of course she would be confused by its appearance.

He shook his head minutely at that. There was no reason to assume that it was important now though he’d have to look up what he could about such odd markings. For all he knew it might be part of the culture she came from though even she was unaware of what it might mean.

He blinked up at her again when she questioned the idea of running into something explosive in his home. Another chuckle escaped him at that, at least Cerise was trying to look on the bright side of things.

“Well, aside from decimating the house? Nothing else I could think of,” he joked.

He glanced at Cerise at that. She looked a little wary about that idea though seemed to try to shake it off. Hilary thought it was a little cute though kept that though to himself. There was no need to go about flattering every good-looking woman after all.

“If there is anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask,” Hilary said finally. He hadn’t done so yet and it was only now that he realized it. “I can’t very well read a mind, hmm.”

She dealt with children before, it seemed. That was a comfort to know. Yonah would be in safe hands then. As long as neither of them were looking for trouble, Nier would trust her judgment on most matters.

"Well, you won't have to worry so much about Yonah being rambunctious," he answered, "So that may be a load off of it all."

Whatever family Reks might have had it seemed they were far behind her now. Nier didn't mention it in case it was a sensitive issue. He didn't want to rub salt into any wounds.

After he pointed out her deep thoughts, she was quick to wave them off. Something was on her mind. Whatever it was she didn't voice at the moment.

"That might be a good idea," he agreed, "Get to know the people too. Though, that may be easy enough. The way they saw me carrying you in, you might gather quite a bit of attention."

By the looks of things, she didn't sound like she liked that very much. Nier spared her a smile, waving it off slightly. If anything, the people were friendly.

"Just let me know if you need anything," he continued as she opened the door, "And mind that wound."

---- [x] ----

The quiet didn't bother her. In fact, it was somewhat of a comfort. The days spent in that ship, she heard things she didn't want to hear. Silence for a change was such a relief.

She didn't want to think about that ship again. Pushing it aside, she smiled at him again. He was an easy going sort, easily joking along with her. It made her feel a little more comfortable.

The thought of the house being destroyed over a mistake left her just a little worried. If it showed, he didn't mind it. She still smiled, a foreign feeling she hadn't felt in days. How quickly she went from hopeless to hopeful now.

"I think it's best we avoid that," she jested in return.

A little more time passed in quiet when Hilary spoke up again. She nodded slightly in return. She just felt tired now, more so now that she was relaxed. Knowing that she could actually sleep somewhere was a nice thought.

"I'm just tired," she said, "I'd like to get some sleep, if I could."

Sleeping in an actual bed sounded something of a miracle right about now. In the cramped, uncomfortable condition of the ship, even a floor sounded like a better place to sleep.

Reks had paused only briefly on her way to the door as Nier spoke up. Weiss hovered nearby, silent on the matter. Perhaps he saw no reason to intervene on the conversation, as she wasn’t hurling insults and half-hearted threats his way now. Whatever kept him quiet was his business and Reks wouldn’t prod the weird book to talk more than he already did.

“Ah? Well, that might make things easier… or harder,” she noted, not at all very fond of the idea of being the center of attention for something like that. She tried to shake the feeling away without much success.

Heading out the door Reks waved over her shoulder to show she at least heard Nier. She wasn’t intending to jostle the wound if she could help it after all though the reminder didn’t seem like an accusation that she would either. Once outside she took a glance around, noting just how far away Nier’s house was compared to the others. There was only one building nearer to it and it was up on a high hill, the large place looming over everything else around it.

She eventually started off down the short beaten path, ignoring the chicken clucking nearby. It was a short walk to the actual little village, the place bustling for such a small place. As Nier had predicted many people seemed to pay her attention, asking who she was and what had happened to have Nier bringing her here like he had. Though a little overwhelming Reks tried her best to be polite and answer questions that weren’t too intrusive.

Eventually she found a spot on a stone bench near a little fountain, her feet hurting after traversing the cobblestone streets barefooted. Above her gray clouds drifted along slowly, blocking the sun from view. She heaved a sigh of relief as she stretched her legs out before her.

’This is so weird… how did I get here? And what kind of place doesn’t even know about the States? I’m so lost…’ she brooded in that time alone.

----[x]----

At the very least Cerise was loosening up, able to joke along with him. Hilary could appreciate this change of pace. There was no point in tiptoeing around things such as this after all.

“Yes, let’s avoid that mishap, shall we?” Hilary replied.

It wasn’t until he asked about anything else she might need did any further conversation happen after that topic passed. It seemed there had been something on her mind though she’d remained silent about it until now. Hilary resisted shaking his head at that; of course she would be quiet about them. It wasn’t like she’d had her needs taken care of on that ship after all.

He dog-eared the page he was on before rising to his feet. He’d need to lead her to a guest room, a room that would be hers overtime if things continued in this manner. It would be polite to show her the way at least rather than just pointing her in the right direction.

“If that’s the case I believe I have a room you may use,” Hilary noted as he gestured for her to follow him.

The nearby staircase was their destination, the room he had in mind nearer to his. If she got up to anything during the night Hilary would rather she be near his room to hear any mishaps. He kept that thought silent however, no need to bring it up when she had shown no inclination to any misbehavior yet.

“I take it anything with a mattress will be up your alley,” joked Hilary while they headed up the steps. If it was in poor taste he didn’t seem to notice.

Time passed slowly for Nier. When he was sure Yonah was asleep, he finally got up and started around the village himself. There was work to be done. If he could get some money under his belt so he might take care of his daughter, he would do anything.

Along the way, plenty of people stopped him, curious about Reks. Some no doubt wondered what had happened, wanted news of the dangers. Others were more focused on how he carried her into the village.

It was all easy to brush off. Weiss's snappy comments helped a little at times. Honestly, Weiss did wonders sometimes when he snarked.

Hours had passed before he had noticed Reks again. She looked a little sullen. A frown tugged at his lips noticing that.

"It seems she has more on her mind then she lets on, hmmm?" Weiss pointed out.

"That seems to be the case," Nier replied quietly. He strode forward, watching her for a moment before he spoke, "I hope the people have been treating you well."

That caught her attention quickly. He spared her a smile, coming to a halt. If anything, a little company might do her some good.

"How do you like the village?" he asked in a bid to get a conversation going.

---- [x] ----

If anything at all, Hilary seemed to appreciate her lightness for the time. She'd just have to shake those other thoughts away. The ship was behind her and so was the slave traders. Things would be alright now.

When she requested a place to sleep, he was quick to get up. Cerise followed suit, carefully putting the items she previously had on his desk. Her hoodie remained draped over her arm, a reminder of him.

With that, she followed him. His home was big and it would take some time to get used to. Regardless of that, she liked the space.

As they started up the stairs, she chuckled a little at his words. He meant no insult by them. Honestly, they were true.

"Being perfectly honest, I'd take the floor if I had to," she jested in response. At least, partly. If she was told to sleep on the floor, she probably would have.

A little dark humor didn't bother her. It certainly didn't seem to bother him considering what he'd said. Cerise didn't mind it however, instead favoring glancing around the upstairs. She didn't linger too long, following Hilary in hopes to get some rest.

At some point she’d crossed her arms over her chest, eyes focused on the ground as she thought. Many of them flew through her mind and none of them had answers or solutions only adding to the stress she already felt. The throbbing injury didn’t help either, occasionally large doses of pain jolting her out of her thoughts though only momentarily.

Nier’s voice eventually reached her among the many others that still milled about this area of the village. Startled, Reks blinked up at him over the tops of her glasses. This seemed to be becoming a common occurrence.

“Oh, y-yeah! They’ve all been pretty welcoming for the most part,” she answered. ’Though they’re all so much more curious than I’m used to,’ Reks silently added. She was so used to going about her day unhindered by those she didn’t know and here that seemed to be the exact opposite.

Reks scooted over on the bench, making room for Nier in the event that he had some time to spare. Weiss still floated dutifully nearby though whatever he might be looking at wasn’t something that Reks could say. Though his cover hosted an odd face it gave no indication as to what he focused on or what Weiss felt.

“It’s busier than I expected but not in a bad way,” she admitted. “I take it there aren’t many visitors around here?”

----[x]----

When they’d made it up the steps Hilary noticed that Cerise had stopped to glance around at the new hallway. Paintings and vases and books of all sorts decorated this hallway, covering wall space and shelves and little tables along the sides. She seemed to be engrossed by these things for a short time before following after him despite the fact that Hilary had stopped to wait for her in that time.

“Ah, but that would be rude! I have been taught better than that, at least my parents would like to think so,” Hilary joked. He’d been something of the problem child amongst his immediate family though Cerise wouldn’t know that.

His steps thumped hard against the wood floor, his boots heavy to begin with. They gave a sort of rhythmic feel to their short walk to what would be Cerise’s new room, at least to Hilary it did.

“The room might be a little bare, I’ve had little need of it as of late,” Hilary warned as he came to the door.

Stopping outside of it he gestured for her to go on in before he opened the door for her. As promised there was only the bare amount of furnishings inside though it would do for her for a time. If she wanted things within it then she was free to decorate it as she wanted though that would come in time.

Cerise seemed to take her time in observing the room though perhaps she was merely hesitant on going in. Hilary saw no need to rush her. Whenever she was comfortable she would head on in and take a nap.

She seemed alright after he snapped her out of her thoughts. She'd been mulling over something. He hoped it wasn't too troublesome or too much of a bother to her. Nier wouldn't pry for the moment.

He sat down at the offered seat, leaning back a little. The sun beat down overhead, never setting. That was something he'd long since gotten used to.

If anyone had given her a problem, she didn't mention it. Nier hoped that wasn't the case. She was young and foreign as well. Despite the usual friendly attitude around here, that didn't mean there weren't some bad apples in the bunch.

"That's good," he replied, "No one will give you much trouble here. At least, except maybe Weiss."

"Only if she starts it," the book countered, "I'm perfectly capable of keeping my opinions to myself."

Nier had trouble believing that and by the look on her face, so did Reks. He waved it off. There was no need to start a fight.

"Not often," he answered her question, "You'd be the first in a long while so naturally, they get curious of who you are or where you're from. It was the same with me and Yonah when we first arrived."

---- [x] ----

Cerise followed after him quietly. His him really was a pretty place. She looked forward to exploring it a little more in time. For now, sleep was on the forefront of her mind.

"You make it sound like you cause trouble," she pointed out lightly.

Who knew, maybe he did. Appearances only went so far, after all. She might have missed out on an entirely different person before meeting him now, as spontaneous as the meeting had been.

He finally halted at a door, warning of the room being more or less bare. Cerise didn't mind that at all. She was just happy that she had a room at all.

She glanced in, eventually walking into the room. It was bare but not overly so. In time, perhaps she'd put her own things in her, provided she had any. She turned, smiling at Hilary.

"That's alright," she replied, "I'm just happy to have anything at all. Thank you, Hilary."

With that said and hearing Hilary out on whatever he had to say in return, she watched as he left before shutting the door. She crawled into the bed, not bothering with the blankets at all. Closing her eyes, it only took her a few minutes to drift off into a deep sleep.

When she’d made room for him on the bench Nier took the offered spot. Reks couldn’t help but notice just how large of a man he really was when he sat next to her. ’Christ, I must look like a kid in comparison,’ she realized. Nier all but dwarfed everybody she’d seen in this village alone much less anybody she’d seen in her life.

Reks allowed a quick chuckle to escape her in reply to Nier’s comment. At least he was well aware of how Weiss could get under someone’s skin. This seemed to be enough to offend the book in question as he was quick to shift the blame to Reks.

She shook her head in response to that one. “Right,” she said simply. Her attention quickly turned back to Nier more fully when she asked about visitors in this small, out-of-the-way place.

’Just you and Yonah?’ That question went unasked, instead Reks said, “Makes enough sense, I suppose.”

A second after she’d turned to survey those that went about their day near this fountain, pushing her hair out of her face. This act did little good as much of it fell right back into place, obscuring much of her face from view. This was common for her to deal with though she did little to tame her unruly bangs.

No one seemed to mind her attention on them or maybe they didn’t notice. So many of them were engulfed in what they were doing whether that be shopping for goods from one of the street vendors or talking with their neighbors. Nearby there was a young boy playing in the fountain’s water as well, looking quite bored.

----[x]----

A throaty chuckle was his initial answer to Cerise’s observation. He wasn’t the family black sheep for nothing though she wouldn’t have known that. With no family in the West Indies she might never really know that either though it wasn’t too important for her to. In the end of things it was what had landed him in the Templar Order anyways so what room did he have to complain about it now?

“Ah, perhaps I do,” Hilary rebutted, “though I suppose you’ll find out in time if that’s true or not.”

When he showed her the room that would be hers it was quiet between them. She’d stepped inside of that room, glancing here and there at the furnishings within. Whatever was on her mind about it weren’t voiced though Hilary hadn’t expected her to either.

He waved his hand dismissively at her thanks. If she was to be trustworthy Hilary needed to prove he could be trusted as well after all. Forcing her to sleep on the couch or floor would not do either of them any favors. Besides, it was common courtesy.

“Not at all!” he said easily, turning to leave her to her devices. Keeping her up would be counterproductive now.

Before he’d made it far down the hallway he heard the click of the door shutting. It would be a simple thing to head back downstairs and continue his reading from then on. He had little else to attend to that day and if something arose concerning the assassins in Havana someone would have come to fetch him. There were many that Hilary relied upon for information relay after all and none of them had failed him yet.

The day passed in this fashion, quietly and slowly. Hilary found he didn’t mind, sometimes it was best to just sit back and relax. He’d had far too much on his mind as it was since Rhona’s departure to the afterlife by his hand as it was. Despite the quiet afternoon thoughts of her did slip into his mind and he found it hard to shake them away and lose himself in his reading.

She was silent again, less talkative then she was before. Nier wouldn't ask why. There seemed to be something on her mind despite her saying nothing otherwise. He didn't want to pry. If she needed to say something, she would in time.

If anything, he earned a chuckle out of her. Nier might have been the serious sort at times but he could still joke when the time needed it. There was no sense in remaining so serious all of the time.

Her response was a simple one. Aside from moving a little bit here and there, she didn't have much to say. Once again, Nier thoughts drew to what she said earlier.

"You look as if something is bothering you," Nier pointed out finally, "Is it a big adjustment for you?"

There might have been a lot more then he could understand. While he didn't want to pry entirely, if she spoke up about her thoughts, it may help.

"Well look at you, so concerned," Weiss teased. Nier waved off his words though he continued anyways,
"The brooding look certainly doesn't fit you, you know."

---- [x] ----

Cerise slept deeply, the occasional fitful dream waking her for a short time. Thoughts of home lingered in her head. The ship was another thing entirely. For the most part, she managed to clear her head and drift back to sleep.

When she next woke, she became aware of the sun filtering through the curtains. She slept through the rest of the evening yesterday straight into the next morning. Despite that, she felt groggy and didn't move for a long few minutes.

Finally, she rolled over, running a hand through her hair. It was strange waking up here, in a room and on a bed. Most nights, she just passed out on the ship.

Cerise pushed herself up from the bed, rubbing her eyes. It only took her a moment after to get to her feet, limbs still complaining a little with the movement.

She left the room, wandering down the hall. Cerise didn't know Hilary's routine. In time, she'd get used to it but for now, all she could do was assume he was up and moving. There would be no point in sitting about the room until he came knocking, after all.

She'd take the time to look at a few things that decorated his home, she figured. That was only if she couldn't find him right away.

She must not have been as talkative as she had been earlier if Nier was asking how she was with all of this. Reks supposed it might have been a question that would crop up eventually however, her answers to where she was from and what hobbies she might have were enough to indicate a change in lifestyle from what Nier would be used to. All the same Reks offered a shrug before she actually answered.

“Yeah, something like that.” It was a simple answer, one that gave nothing else away. For the time being there wasn’t a reason to go further with it.

Her eyebrow rose at the way that Weiss took to commenting on Nier’s apparent concern. This was at odds with what he said next, mentioning something about brooding. For a second, Reks glanced between book and man, unsure of what to say to all this.

“Who, me?” she finally said, gesturing to herself. Had she been caught brooding? From the sounds of it they’d caught it, at least the tail end of it. Reks wasn’t too surprised; she had been pretty lot in thought.

Reks found she wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Instead she offered another shrug, looking for all the world as if she were waiting for another topic to be brought up instead. She honestly wasn’t sure what to say to do just that however. Whatever interests Nier had were a mystery to her and Weiss seemed like he’d snark about anything if given the chance.

“Well… that’s just too bad,” she said finally.

----[x]----

Hilary hadn’t done much since showing Cerise her room. Mostly he made progress in his book, finally getting through a great chunk of it before he’d grown bored of that. It was a simple thing to set it aside and instead turn to his notes about tried and trued explosives methods. Here he jotted down further notes on how to improve them in any possible way.

The scratching of the fountain pen against paper yet again filled the otherwise quiet room though Hilary didn’t find the silence to be a bother. In fact it left him with room to reflect and brood. There would be many a thing to attend to in the coming days, that much he was sure of.

The afternoon wore on in this manner, occasionally seeing to it that Hilary wandered about to stretch his legs. He never wandered further than the front porch, not eager to test his trust in Cerise just yet. If she were to wake and finding him gone then she could go about any sort of mischief if not just run off.

At some point he’d settled on sitting at the kitchen table, reading over notes from years ago. Hilary hadn’t even been aware he’d kept them and now that he knew what he did they seemed so shortsighted. He scoffed at that, toying with an apple that he rolled along the tabletop idly. It at least kept him busy for the time being.

’Perhaps I might have some sort of task to deal with tomorrow,’ he thought, mulling over that possibility. He’d have to find something to do with Cerise if that was the case. Honestly, Hilary hadn’t thought that far ahead when he’d first seen her.

He shook the thought away. It would be dealt with in time and no sooner than that. He couldn’t even be sure that it was worth keeping Cerise around yet after all.

Nier watched her expression change from that broody one to surprise. She must have thought they hadn't seen it. For the most part, Nier didn't mind it. Honestly from what she said, this really was a big change for her.

"Who else would we be referring to?" Weiss snarked in return,

Nier shook his head as if warning the book to back down a little. There was no point in starting a fight. Obviously she was stressed enough.

"Have you found some place to stay?" Nier finally asked, "There may be some cottages that will house you for a short time."

He paused, studying her expression. For a moment there, worry crossed it again before it was masked away. Nier hummed a little at that. Had she been asking around.

"If you need to, you can stay with Yonah and me," he pointed out, "we could always do with the company."

With that said, he leaned back, looking at the sky. The sun was still where it at always. It never moved, illuminating the land in an everlasting day. He had never seen any different.

"Nice day," he commented absentmindedly, "Aside from the shades, I mean."

---- [x] ----

Cerise wandered down the staircase aware of the creaking the wood made underneath her feet. If Hilary was still here, he was a rather quiet man. She hadn't heard him once since she'd gotten up.

She spared a glance around the front room, catching the way the light was. Cerise lost track of the time with no clocks that she could see. A short hum left her.

She started walking again, hoping to find Hilary somewhere. He was still the only one she knew and she had no where else to go. In that sense, did feel a little bit safer in his care, albeit she worried about the explosives.

"Hilary, are you still here?" she called out, wandering into another room.

Perhaps he'd gone somewhere. Cerise hummed at that thought. After what had happened when she had been kidnapped, she had no plans on wandering anywhere alone.

Weiss took to scoffing at her, probably thinking that it was obvious they’d be talking about her. Wordlessly Reks gestured to Nier in answer. He seemed like the broody type after all so it wouldn’t surprise her if people poked fun at Nier for it from time to time. For the most part everyone here seemed all right if not outright friendly with each other.

The next question that arose shouldn’t have surprised her but in a way she’d been hoping it wouldn’t be asked. She’d debated asking around but what good would that do when she’d have no money to pay for rent or anything? It wasn’t like she was going to be babysitting Yonah for money after all.

“Nah, I figured I’d sleep with some pigs or something,” she argued dryly. It was better than admitting that she hadn’t exactly worked up the courage to ask around when she knew she had no money for anything like that.

She eyed Nier oddly when he suggested that she stay with he and Yonah. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate the offer but he was offering her so much help that she was growing a little overwhelmed! There was no way she’d never stop feeling indebted to him at this rate, she was sure of it.

“I’m starting to wonder if you take in every stray you see,” she muttered after a moment or two. Nier didn’t seem to hear her say that or if he did he ignored it, instead he’d turned to look up at the sky. Reks shook her head and said, “If you’re sure you have the room than I won’t argue too much about that offer…”

Tipping her head to one side she continued to regard Nier. He sounded like he was doing his best to keep the conversation going though wasn’t sure how to go about it. In a way it was kind of cute for such a burly man to have such trouble.

“At least it’s not raining,” she agreed.

----[x]----

Hilary wasn’t sure when he started hearing the creak of floorboards but he did know that he was quite sure that it was because Cerise had woken up. She seemed to be taking her time in finding him or perhaps she was up to something. Hilary kept an ear out, listening to any sort of new sounds that might reach him in the kitchen. He’d put his review of old notes on hold for the time being.

However many minutes passed in this fashion Hilary couldn’t say. He’d lost track of the time as it was and he had nothing to keep track of it around here. Eventually Cerise’s voice could be heard from a nearby room.

“You say that as if you expected me to leave what is essentially a stranger in my home alone!” Hilary called back lightly. It was a silly notion to him, not at all that trustworthy or optimistic of people’s nature.

He could hear her steps grow louder as she neared the kitchen and soon enough she was peering in at him and around the kitchen itself. Hilary spared her a passing glance and a small smile before turning back to the sheets of paper in his hands. If she was hungry she could rummage about in his cabinets though she seemed like the type who might ask first.

“I take it you are well rested,” Hilary noted. She certainly seemed to be a little livelier.

Finally he shoved his papers aside, the stack of them rather messy. He paid it little mind for the time being now that he had someone to entertain yet again. Cerise didn’t seem to be high maintenance, rather lax as it was. This made things easier on Hilary for the time being.

Nier chuckled a little as Reks motioned toward him. If this kind of thing kept up, Weiss would bicker with her often. Perhaps in time they might soften to each other. Nier certainly had. He enjoyed Weiss's banter once in a while.

After he made mention of her finding a place to stay, he glanced back toward her. Her answer wasn't favorable. It worried him a tad when she spoke. Had she not asked anyone at all?

He shook his head in response. It really wasn't much trouble. Yonah might like the company as well. He knew she was lonely, more so now then ever.

Nier chuckled a little in response. "Not many strays to take in," he replied lightly, "But anyone would have done the same to for me and my daughter."

If that convince her, she didn't show it. He simply allowed her to think it through, sparing a smile in turn. He was glad that she took him up on that offer.

"That's settled then," he said, glancing back up at the sky, "Funny. I don't remember the last time it rained."

"You have impeccable attention to detail,"

You're very kind Weiss," Nier joked in return, shaking his head slightly. He glanced at Reks, sparing a smile. At least the day was a little lighter.

---- [x] ----

Cerise eventually caught Hilary's voice. That accent was something she would have to get used to. It wasn't as if she didn't like it. His voice was just so different compared to what she used to hear.

She found her way to the kitchen, peeking in to find that splash of blue again. Cerise spared a small smile in return.

Eventually she stepped in, sparing a glance around. Just like the rest of his home, this room was well furnished as too. She should have felt awkward, having lived so poor.

Her gaze drifted back to him when he spoke up about her sleeping. Aside from the brief disturbances, she did sleep well.

"Best I've had in days," she replied lightly, "that wasn't passing out."

She hoped it could remain that way, in some kind of comfort. Cerise still didn't know why Hilary had taken such interest in her to place his bid. She was grateful for it, of course, but curious as well.

"Were you working? I didn't mean to interrupt." she said, noting how he shoved a few papers aside.

Nier seemed quick sure that any of these folks would have taken he and Yonah in on a moment’s notice when they’d first arrived here. Reks found she couldn’t argue about that, it wasn’t like she was very familiar with everyone here much less the way they went about things. For all she knew they were always this generous to the needy.

“Yeah, sounds like it is,” she agreed, still feeling a little embarrassed about it. Here he was giving and giving and Reks had next to nothing to give back in order to return the favor. ’Maybe in time,’ she mused.

Weiss and Nier’s brief bit of banter was enough to draw her away from that thought, eliciting a small smile from her. She had to admit that from the other side of things it was a little amusing to see Weiss getting snarky. It wasn’t something that Reks would be admitting out loud however. No need to give the book an ego boost.

“I guess that’ll be a change of pace from the rainy summer I was dealing with…”

It was nothing but an idle observation though it was enough to conjure up memories of home. She could recall the way the dogs would halt at the door and refuse to go out after previously scratching at the front door when they noticed it rained, or the way her father would get a little grouchy when the satellite signal would scramble during heavier storms. Reks did her best to shake them away for the moment; there would be other times to dwell on what was gone now.

“So, how does anyone know what time it is here?,” she wondered. If there were no machines than clocks would be out of the picture entirely but there hadn’t been a sundial either.

----[x]----

Hilary glanced up to see that Cerise hadn’t wandered far into the kitchen. In fact, she seemed to prefer remaining by the doorway as if ready to bolt back out into the main room at any moment. If she felt more comfortable there then so be it, Hilary wouldn’t rush her to go sitting or exploring the kitchen.

“I wouldn’t image passing out would be well for one’s health,” Hilary noted somewhat dryly.

Folding his hands over the tabletop he shook his head at her question. It hadn’t been work per say as merely a hobby. Hilary very much liked to see things explode, had since he was very young, the fact that he cold incorporate that sometimes in his job was just a plus. Cerise might not have agreed with that outlook given how wary she was about finding a bomb somewhere in his home.

“These were merely some old notes I’d forgotten I had stashed away,” he explained. A shrug followed suit quickly after. “I found it a little interesting to see what my thought processes must have been like back then.”

There was a bit of a wait on Hilary’s part then, wondering if Cerise might continue on this line of thought or not. She seemed to go to and fro on topics though maybe in time that would settle itself. She was a curious one it seemed. If it helped her to grow more relaxed than Hilary would entertain her.

When it seemed like she would not say anything more on the topic Hilary leaned back in his seat and glanced about the kitchen. He really needed to get some groceries at this rate but he had more important things to do… He shook the thought away; there was enough food to last a few days at least.

“If you find you’re still hungry don’t be afraid to rummage about. I’m not one to sit for each meal everyday.” It was a fair enough warning, Hilary would rather not hear that she’d skipped a meal because he hadn’t eaten with her.

Nier spared her a smile. She looked a little uncomfortable but at least she wasn't arguing. She needed a place to stay and he would provide that. If she wanted to pay him back, she would in time.

He chuckled in return to her awkwardness. Despite her attitude at times, she seemed a bit of a bashful one. It was a nice change of pace for him, honestly.

"Don't worry about it," he reassured one last time, dropping the subject after.

She seemed to enjoy the bit of banter between himself and Weiss. The small smile was a quick indicator of that. Nier chuckled himself, small as it was.

"I'm not particularly fond of the rain myself," Weiss agreed, "Your home sounds dreadful."

Nier glanced back down at Reks. How did anyone tell time? There wasn't much need for such a thing when the sun never set.

"We don't," he answered, "the sun doesn't set so there's not much need for telling time, I suppose."

The look of bewilderment was somewhat of a surprise for him. Was her home different as well? Nier could only assume from the way she looked at him.

---- [x] ----

Cerise lingered in the doorway for a long moment, merely observing the ginger. He didn't seem at all annoyed that he might have been interrupted. Perhaps it wasn't as important as she thought.

"True enough," she replied, shaking her head slightly. She put the thought into the back of her mind. The conditions she stayed in were behind her now.

Eventually she stepped a little further in. She didn't want to think that she couldn't trust Hilary. She wanted to keep her distance for a time. It just seemed like the best thing for now.

When he answered her question, she nodded in understanding. "Ah, I remember doing things like that," she replied, "old journals and the like. It really could be interesting sometimes."

It was like stepping back into another person. She was sometimes fascinated by the mentality she had been in. Whatever Hilary's notes were over, she could only assume.

"I think I'll do that, thank you," she replied to the offer.

She wanted to fill her stomach a little. It still hurt, pains running through it. Cerise wondered if it would ever be full. How long would that take? It was a thought she pushed away.

As she did this, she spared a glance toward him again. "You said this is Havana right? In the Caribbean? It might be a strange thing to ask but...what year is it?"

Weiss seemed quick to comment about rain and Reks wasn’t surprised by his opinion of that sort of weather. All the same she shook her head, drawing her legs up on the bench to sit cross-legged. It didn’t seem like any of them were in any rush to get moving after all. Reks figured she could get comfortable for a short time, or at least as comfortable as a girl could get on a stone bench.

“Better storms than a drought,” she reasoned.

She’d asked about the time then, turning back to Nier. She found it odd that he took the time to regard her before he answered her, sounding as if this was common knowledge. For a second Reks thought he was joking but the look on his face told her otherwise. ’No nighttime?’

At a loss for words Reks tried to figure out how a sun could never set. Had she found herself in another world entirely and if so then did that mean the other side of the planet was eternally enduring nighttime? She couldn’t imagine how a planet could sustain life in such a manner but then she still wasn’t sure how a book floated and talked either.

“Huh… so I guess stargazing is out of the question,” she muttered, attempting not to get worked up about this news. It was hard to shake it away however. “So I take it you’ve never seen the moon then?”

----[x]----

Her statements were light ones, perhaps not used to conversation. Any attempts at it on a slaver ship would have been put down in an instant, of that Hilary had no doubts about. Leaving people to talk in such conditions could lead the way to a rebellion of sorts and they wouldn’t want to deal with that out on the seas. That was always assuming that those on board planning the rebellion would even be able to break free of whatever confines they were in of course.

At the mention of his old notes Cerise mentioned doing the same with old diaries she might’ve had in the past. Hilary nodded, listening but finding nothing else to say on the topic. It wasn’t one that was meant to last long, or so it seemed to him.

When he’d gestured to the cabinets and told her to make herself at home Cerise did just that, starting towards one of the cabinets. Hilary merely nodded, rolling his shoulders and neck as he did this. He’d been sitting and reading for much of the day now and his muscles were beginning to ache. He’d really need to do something else tomorrow to make up for all of this unproductiveness.

“Hmm?” He blinked over his shoulder at her. What a strange question that was; all the same he answered her, naming off the current date. At the way she seemed to stiffen he raised an eyebrow. “Is something the matter?”

The question had been a cautious one, almost accusatory. Why would anyone need to react in such a manner to the date? He waited to see if she would fess up about her reaction on her own or not. Perhaps she wouldn’t, leaving Hilary suspicious. She had a mystery about her that seemed to be begging to be solved.

Minutes passed before anything more was said and when it had been said it was from Hilary. “Something on your mind?”

By the sounds of it, her home had it's fair share of problems. Nier had to wonder how people got along there. If it rained or there was constant drought, how did people survive?

"It doesn't sound like much," he pointed out and left it at that.

Nier couldn't witness it himself. He probably never would either. His home was here. That's where he and his daughter had made it. There was no point in moving anytime soon. Not unless Yonah's illness called for it.

Her surprise over the fact that the sun never set still sat on her features. Nier hummed slightly in response. So this was something new to her as well.

"Not that I can ever remember," he replied, "I don't think I've ever seen these stars or moon you speak of."

"This place as always been enveloped in a daytime," Weiss added, "You must have come from quite an interesting place to have something otherwise."

"What does this night time look like?" Nier asked afterward, "It must be something interesting."

---- [x] ----

Hilary hadn't said much though what she had brought up was just general statements. She didn't mind, thinking more in favor of filling her stomach. The way it still gnawed at itself was concerning.

When he finally listed off the day and the year, she tensed. It must have been a noticeable action because he asked about it shortly after. Cerise swallowed hard, her throat feeling like it was burning.

What was she supposed to say to that? That she was originally from a time hundreds of years in the future? That some copper ball had brought her here? She'd sound crazy.

For several long moments, she said nothing. Hilary simply asked again, this time sounding a little less cautious then before. she glanced back at him. No doubt she looked plaid, even frightened.

"I..." she started carefully, "I don't know what happened. I picked up this weird copper ball and it started glowing and when I woke up I was on that island. I don't know what happened, I swear!"

The words came tumbling out in a panicked manner. She couldn't calm down, especially knowing how far back in time she really was. She felt dizzy with emotion, not sure what the appropriate response was. Did she sound crazy? She probably did, she knew she did. What was Hilary going to do with her now?

Reks didn’t see a need to continue the topic about weather where she was from. People got along fine where she was from, more so there than here from the looks of it. That thought wouldn’t do much good however and so she kept it unvoiced, besides there was the fact that there was no nighttime here to distract Reks.

She glanced from Weiss to Nier and back again, hoping that it was just an elaborate joke at her expanse. From the sounds of it they were entirely seriously, curiosity crossing Nier’s face when he asked about nighttime. Her head felt like it was starting to throb dully at this new information. It was all a lot to take in and even though she was trying to brush it aside for later it was catching up quickly.

“Interesting? I’d say it was normal. Eternal daytime sounds weird to me,” she argued simply, glancing at Weiss.

It was silent for a minute as she tried to figure out how best to describe what night looked like. If Nier had never witnessed anything like it then would she be able to paint an accurate picture of it? Eventually she shook her head.

“Well, there was the moon that reflected the sun’s light to shine though not nearly as brightly. You could see a lot of stars too, some of ‘em brighter than others though it wasn’t enough light to see by. If the moon was full you’d be mostly fine if it wasn’t cloudy and it was always cooler without the sun around,” she explained, feeling like she was explaining nothing at all. ’Maybe I’d do better trying to draw it,’ she reflected.

Reks spared another glance their way; she couldn’t decipher what Weiss might think about her explanation though Nier seemed to be mulling over it.

----[x]----

She might have been trying to be quiet but Hilary could hear her rummaging around in the food. It wasn’t until the topic of the date did that noise stopped. Curious, Hilary had turned to survey her and note her tense posture. Some time passed before he’d prodded her for an answer.

Patiently he waited, tapping his finger along the tabletop. Seconds passed into minutes and at one point Cerise glanced over at him and she looked frightened of something. Hilary’s eyebrow rose at this. If he wasn’t mistaken she looked paler as well. ’This is certainly a change of pace…’ He shook the thought away.

When he finally prodded her for answers she was quiet a second or two longer and even when Cerise did reply her words were hesitant. It was clear she wasn’t telling him the full story but accusing her of that now would do him now good. Of that much Hilary was certain. Still, it was an odd situation for sure. Who got all worked up over the date like that?

“I see,” he said simply, turning back to his old notes. The mention of a copper ball was enough to pique his attention but getting worked up about it now would cause problems, he knew it. “I’m not calling you a liar now, am I?”

He made a note to mention this to the grand master in a letter tomorrow. It sounded too much like stories of a certain Piece of Eden if Hilary wasn’t mistaken. He was aware that it might be a conclusion he’d jumped too far ahead to but he’d rather jump the gun rather than miss the opportunity entirely.

“Easy now, find yourself something to eat,” Hilary offered, “it’ll do you some good.”

It certainly sounded like she came from an interesting place. She made mention of it being normal for the sun to set. Here, it never did and so, they had all learned to live life during a permanent day. Hearing of something entirely different was somewhat strange.

He offered a soft chuckle if only to calm her nerves. No doubt all of this was strange to her. It sounded strange to him, honestly. They had a lot to learn from each other it seemed.

"Sounds like we've both got a little bit to learn from each other, if you don't mind the occasional prying."

"I must say, I'm rather curious of the circumstances as well," Weiss added. If he was curious, then no doubt he'd quiet his complaints for a while.

Nier glanced up at the sky as he tried to imagine what this 'moon' looked like to her. It was hard to picture, honestly. He couldn't quite say he'd seen anything like it.

"I don't know if I could picture something like that," he replied, "It all sounds so strange."

None the less, he smiled at her. It sounded so fascinating. Perhaps Yonah would like to hear those stories as well. Now doubt it would leave her curious.

---- [x] ----

Cerise didn't know what she felt. Panic still surged through her but the fact that he'd accepted her explanation so simply? What did that mean?

She shook her head, a dull throbbing forming there. She was lucky. That sudden panic could have led to worse things. Lord knew it wouldn't have been the first time things like that had happened.

"No, you're not..." she finally answered, "but given the explanation, I expected you to."

Cerise didn't know would have frightened her more. Him calling her a liar and kicking her out or the calm demeanor and acceptance. She wasn't sure what to think of the latter reaction. Was there something more to it that she didn't know?

She could feel herself shake a little long after the fact that he'd brushed her words off so easily. Eventually she nodded in return, rummaging through the cabinets again.

Cerise settled on a bit of fruit, an apple that she'd managed to snag. She ate it slowly, still a little frightened about it all. She at least took solace in the fact that he hadn't called her crazy.

Eventually Nier had offered a chuckle, quiet as it was. Reks almost missed it with how boisterously the nearby folks were talking, all but covering up Nier’s laughter. She wasn’t sure what was so funny but so long as he wasn’t accusing her of being crazy Reks wouldn’t question it too much. He didn’t give her much chance to either way.

“Uh, no, I suppose I don’t…” Silently she added, ’Depending on what you’re prying about.’

She waited then as Nier turned to look at the cloudy sky. He remained like that for several minutes, looking focused. Reks couldn’t begin to imagine what he was thinking about other than maybe the moon. Weiss still floated, bobbing up and down in a rather lazy fashion—at least to Reks it seemed lazy.

A shake of the head was her initial answer to Nier’s words when he broke the silence between the three of them. “I’d probably do a better job drawing it then trying to explain it any better,” she noted. If he had any spare paper and anything to write with in his home she might just do that. She liked to try to keep in practice even if she only produced half-hearted scribbles some days.

Her stomach growled at that moment, reminding her that her last meal had been breakfast hours ago. It didn’t seem to have been loud enough to catch Nier or Weiss’s attention though she felt like she shouldn’t hold off on mentioning this. If she was to be staying with Nier and Yonah then she’d be eating with them too.

“Would it be too much trouble to ask for a quick meal? I haven’t eaten much today,” she mentioned, looking a little sheepish about it. With the never-ending daytime Reks couldn’t be sure that meals were spaced out as often as they usually where in a twelve-hour cycle.

----[x]----

Hilary shook his head but said nothing for a time. Of course her story was crazy but he knew better than to write it off as that entirely. Many things concerning the Ones Who Came Before seemed insane and so these things needed to be taken into account. For the time being there was no reason to accuse her of lying or being touched in the head until he had further details or proof.

“Ah, but if I’d run you off for something this small I’d have lost my money’s worth!” he joked darkly. He didn’t glance Cerise’s way to catch her initial response to that this time around.

Several long minutes passed where he heard the cabinets opening and closing again before Cerise must have settled on something or other. It wasn’t until he heard a familiar crunching did he guess that she’d picked one of the few remaining apples he had.

For a time Hilary stared at his notes, seeing but not really reading what had been on the pages. Cerise hadn’t come into his view yet, perhaps opting to remain near the counter by the cabinets. Hilary had to refrain from twisting around to gauge her reaction and guess at what she might be thinking about from her expression.

He focused on what to tell the grand master in his letter tomorrow. This couldn’t be coincidence; the pieces of Eden were not common knowledge, especially so nowadays. To have a strange woman describe something that might be one was remarkable.

Whatever this night was, she didn't seem to be able to describe it in anymore detail. Nier didn't mind that fact. It wasn't as if he could picture such a thing anyways. Daytime had always been what he'd witnessed.

She still seemed a little awkward by her reply. Perhaps she wasn't used to things like this, little kindnesses or idle conversation. From what he could see, there was quite a bit she wasn't used to.

He glanced at her when she mentioned drawing. "You're an artist then?" he inquired.

"My, quite an extraordinary talent under that rude behavior! That is, if you're telling the truth!" Weiss commented. Nier snorted in response but otherwise ignored it.

"Yonah might like to see those pictures," Nier continued, "That might brighten her up a little."

Conversation seemed to cut off when her stomach growled. Nier resisted a chuckle, waving off her words. There wasn't any need to ask so sheepishly.

"Of course," he said, raising to his feet, "There's a place not far from here. It won't take long."

She'd be fed and if she wanted to explore a little more, she could. She could rest whenever she felt like it. Most days, he was gone as it was. If it wasn't for the fact that he had bumped into her, he'd be miles out by now.

---- [x] ----

The way he acted spoke louder than his words. Cerise expected more then this. She expected something else, aggression or denial or something. Instead she was met with a level headed man, calm and confident.

His joke was a bit of a dark one, making her stomach drop a little. She shook it off quickly after, or at least tried to. Being in the ship, she didn't quite care for any kind of talk like that.

"You're taking this incredibly well," she pointed out, "money lost or not, I wouldn't have expected something like this."

She shook her head, dropping the subject moments after. Honestly, what could she expect anymore? Pulled back in time during an age she barely knew? Anything could happen now.

Instead, Cerise tended to the apple in her hand, taking small bites. Anymore than that and her stomach might protest.

Hilary was quiet, leaving her to mull what might be on his mind. Perhaps he was a little more effected by the news then she gave credit. She couldn't tell, having just met the man.

"Why did you 'bid' on me, if I might ask?" she inquired.

Of all the people, why did this man take interest in her. He looked to be rather well off, after all. Some in that crowd had looked worse and she expected worse things. So what was different about Hilary? Why did he bother with her? The question had been in her head but she couldn't find an answer.

» |Nier| Reks
» |DMC RP| Fighting the Good Fight |Reserved|
» {|ACIV:BF|} Over and Out {1-on-1 rp}
» {|ACIV:BF|} Justify {|1-on-1 rp|}
» ACIV Black Flag: Amber [W.I.P]