The House By the Park (Nilo/Hyacintha and Snow)

At the edge of an old run down park lays a small barely noticeable house seemingly overrun by the large tree in its front yard. The stone path that leads from the road to the house is hindered by the large roots of the tree. The once sleek black fence now rusty and covered in luster, tall grass and vines climbing up the spiral fence posts. Even the paint was peeling off the small two story house; windows glazed over with years of luster.

Nilo looked up at the place he called home, thinking how it still seemed like a castle to him even in its current state. He saw a palace of miracles and wonders instead of a house on the verge of destruction. He glanced at the two people beside him, a girl with purple hair and eyes named Hyacintha and a taller young man with black hair named Snow.

These two had escorted the trembling young man to his house after a fit of his arthritis broke out at school. He had thought he wouldn’t need his medicine because he felt he wouldn’t be stupid enough to cause an episode like he did today. His shame at his failure continued to follow him as he walked past the unhinged and broken gate of the house and to the door, he looked up at the two, his trembling and pain inducing hands close to his body.

“There’s a key… Under the pot right there…” he said, motioning his head towards an old clay pot next to the door; it contained only soil and what would appear to be the dried up remains of a fern. He only stood there at the door with his hands close to his body, the tears that once streaked his face now dried up and gone. His eyes were still slightly puffy but any traces that he was crying earlier where all but gone.

His feelings and emotions were bare to the world. His shield of negativity and despair shattered to the wind as he relied helplessly on these two strangers. His composure was severely lacking, seeming more like a scared child than the once polite and respectful youth he posed as at the school. He wanted to sigh, but couldn’t, to cry, but nothing came out. He felt naked and exposed without his shield and the emotions he was forced to face now made him feel worthless and weak.

The wind blew lightly as the sky seemed to darken, an impending storm seeming to settle over the island. Nilo looked up at the darkening skies, for the first time a tinge of fear for someone else passed through his eyes as he did so. He gazed into the dark abys of clouds for a while before turning back to Snow and Hyacintha, hoping they weren’t insulted by his weird reaction to the storm.

They had left the school via a train that went through underwater passages. While Hyacintha filled her time by looking out the windows or speaking to anyone listening, Snow had settled in the seat beside her watching Nilo for a moment before his eyes closed and he seemed to doze off. For the remainder of the ride, Hyacintha kept herself busy while Snow remained still in what appeared to be a sleep like state.

When the train announcer said they were arriving at the station in San Malarus Island, Hyacintha looked over at Nilo and upon seeing him get up shifted in her seat in such a way that Snow automatically woke up and moved from his seat to let her out. From the station, the pair had escorted the boy home, taking in their new scenery as they moved.

While Hyacintha seemed to be enjoying the trek in a new environment as she looked around with bright excited eyes, Snow remained calm and unreadable as his dark eyes shifted here and there as he took note how the environment was going from normal to a bit more run down. When they passed the run down park and came to the rusted fence of the house, Snow hesitated just outside of the property allowing Hyacintha to go ahead as he really took in the area around him.

The park, the yard before him, the stone work of the path that led up to the house….all of it seemed like the least desirable place to inhabit and yet….despite living in an area full of luxuries, Snow found himself kind of liking the way this place was decaying and the almost dreary atmosphere it let off. This place was honest and real. It had no reason to hide behind a mask, preferring instead to show the world exactly what it was.

How refreshing, Snow thought to himself as he tilted his head at the overgrown yard as he took it in with an appreciative eye for a second before shaking his head and moving to catch up with Nilo and Hyacintha who were almost to the front door.

Hyacintha, on the other hand, was much too focused on her odd surroundings to notice that Snow had fallen behind. As she looked around the yard and finally spotted the old house, it took her mind a moment to determine if she liked it or not. This place was certainly not the palace she had back home, but at the same time it wasn’t an illusion like those other houses that surrounded her little dream bubble either. No this house existed outside of the fake world and existed in the real…even if it wasn’t her first choice of comfort.

Hyacintha stole a glance at Nilo, seeing how he looked upon the old place with pride. Looking back at the house, she supposed that she would simply have to accept that it was what it was and not be so picky about how people lived elsewhere. Keeping her thoughts to herself, Hyacintha would remain polite giving Snow a light smile as he returned to her side as they followed Nilo through gate and up to the house.

Thinking that their journey had ended and Nilo would be fine on his own, Hyacintha was preparing to say her goodbyes when fate decided to take an unexpected turn. Nilo still kept his hands close to him, trembling still in pain it would seem as he looked over at them and spoke.

When she heard his words, Hyacintha tilted her head as her eyes drifted over to the err…pot of soil? Yeah…a pot of soil with a dead plant of some sort in it….Anyway there was a key under that pot huh? Well…

As if reading exactly where Hyacintha’s thoughts were going, Snow shifted in his spot handing her the book as he went over to the pot not seeming to be bothered at all by what he had to do. Carefully lifting the pot, Snow’s eyes would follow the few Rollie Pollies (pill bugs) that scampered away when their home was disturbed before his dark eyes would shift to the slight glimmer he saw on the ground. The key. Scooping the item up, Snow placed the pot back down being careful not to break it before he got back to his feet. Seeing as Nilo didn’t appear to be any condition to actually unlock the door himself. Snow, hesitated for a second, as he looked at Nilo. Out of instinct, he showed him the key- a silent signal he was going to unlock the door- before stepped closer to the boy and did just that.

It was odd unlocking a stranger’s door, but Snow was not one to let that phase him much as he twisted the door knob and pushed the door open before stepping back to let Nilo pass. There was no way he’d enter someone else’s territory without permission. In any case, once the task was done, Hyacintha stepped up to him and grasped Snow’s arm as she smiled up at him for only a second before that smile was crumpling a bit as the wind blew and the scent of rain drifted on the air.

Around the same time Nilo looked up at the sky, so did Hyacintha and Snow. They watched as the storm clouds began to gather threatening to tear open and let the rain pour down any moment now. As Hyacintha saw this, she wondered if she and Snow could get back to station in time to not get drenched. Hm…this was kind of tricky.

While she was not exactly keen on going inside of the house, Hyacintha supposed it would be best if she made sure Nilo was going to be okay. After all he was still in pain, so…

Looking away from the sky, Hyacintha turned her eyes to Nilo just as a strange looked crossed over him. Concerned, she tilted her head.

“What’s wrong?” she would ask the other as she watched him carefully.

To the sounds of her voice, Snow’s eyes would drift back to the boy as he watched the interaction with an unreadable expression.
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Hyacintha’s Mood: A bit uneasy around the house, her concern for Nilo causes her to stay.
Snow’s Mood: Calm and watchful of both.

Nilo debated on what exactly to say and eventually formed the words in his mind to speak before a large and loud crash of thunder and lightening streaked across the sky. The noise made him jump as pellets of water bulleted to the ground. Upon seeing the water he began to feel guilty; because of him the two who escorted him would now either be trapped here until the rain ended or trek through the storm with practically nothing.

Nilo walked up to the two people, looking at them with a tinge of guilt. "P-Please come inside... I-I... Um, have an umbrella if you d-don't want to stay..." he said before entering the house.

The house was obviously looked small on the outside but felt even smaller once inside of it. The front door greeted you with the stairs to the second floor and a narrow hallway, made even narrower by a table, leading to what appeared to be a kitchen. This was where Nilo was heading, and once there he went about in trying to open a closet door. However he forgot that his hands were in no condition for any form of labor and gasped as pain shot through him as he grasped the door knob.

Nilo frowned at his forgetfulness, realizing how absurd this whole ordeal must look like too the others. He decided he'd have to re-prioritize and walked to the counter, once there he used the back of his hand to carefully move a bottle of pills out and into the open.

Before continuing though, he began to wonder what he should do in a situation like this. After all, he had just invited two strangers into his house without a second thought and was now acting as if they weren't here. He bit his lower lip, wishing his shield would come back so he could think and breath. The fluster of thoughts and emotions that ran through his mind confused him and he only wanted to be left alone, yet he couldn't bring himself to ask the two to leave regardless of the storm raging outside.

He shook his head, continuing to bite his lip as he quickly used his fingers to open the cap to the bottle and then slip a pill out of it. He cringed at the pain but pushed through it as he put the pill into his mouth and swallowed. After his ordeal of self torture he looked up from the counter, glancing to see what the others would have to say about his show or if they even came inside.

He muttered a "Sorry..." regardless of the circumstances and began to calm the fluster of emotions an thoughts in his mind. The pain slowly began to subside and his hands began to unlock from there shaking position. He seemed calmer now that everything was back to normal. Almost as if this was how he normally was.

Hyacintha kept a concerned eye on Nilo waiting for him to answer her previous question. It appeared as if the boy wanted to say something, but before he could, Mother Nature decided to make her call upon the world. As the thunder crashed above loudly and a large flash of lightning occurred, Hyacintha automatically gasped startled around the same time Nilo jumped. Snow, while indeed a bit startled, didn’t really make a sound as he instead looked to the sky and took a step back, gently pushing Hyacintha back towards the old house just as the first drops of rain began to fall. Keeping Hyacintha shielded in a way, Snow did not seem to mind first one then two then a few drops of cool water that hit him as the rain began to fall. As long as Hyacintha could stay dry for a while longer, he honestly did not care if he got soaked or not. Her comfort was all that mattered to him.

However, before Snow could become completely soaked, Nilo asked them to come in and even offered them an umbrella if they did not wish to stay. While it was true Hyacintha did not wish to enter the home, she couldn’t exactly turn the offer of shelter away and be rude. Besides Snow would get soaked worse than her even if they did have an umbrella to use, so the best bet was to go in. Maybe things weren’t so bad, just different. Keeping this thought in her mind, she would give Nilo an appreciative smile that hide much of her discomfort with the situation.

“Thank you for the kind offer,” she said cheerfully before stepping over the threshold and into the house. Naturally, Snow followed.

Once inside, Hyacintha gave a light sigh of relief, thinking that even though the place was indeed cramped, it was much better than being out in the rain or having to walk back to the station in such weather. As the door was closed and Hyacintha saw Nilo’s actions, she left Snow by the door as she drifted forward towards Nilo.

“There is no need to put yourself in more pain for our sake. I am sure the rain will let up soon and we can be out of your hair. It was kind enough of you to let us in even though we are strangers. Thank you,” Hyacintha said giving the boy a bow od thanks before she was standing straight once more as Nilo drifted into the kitchen. Hyacintha followed at a safe distance as she looked around a bit keeping a smile upon her lips and trying not to judge the place around her or insult the boy’s kindness. He was already going way out of his way for them, so it was best to be appreciative instead of a brat.

Snow allowed her to follow the boy not fearing losing sight of his master thanks to the smallness of the house. Looking around, Snow moved until he was by the stairs. Standing at the edge of them, he looked upward towards the second floor and although he could not see much he wondered what was up there, but being a good house guest he did not wander upstairs without permission as he instead stayed by the edge of the stairs taking in more details about the house as he started to become even more comfortable with his new surroundings.

As he did this the rain began to pour down like a waterfall outside, tapping against the glass of the windows as the barely seen water slide down the glass, leaving odd messy streaks on the outside. Being more occupied by his surroundings, Snow remained quiet as he continued to examine the place.

Hyacintha was quiet for a moment as she cautiously entered the kitchen unsure what to do with herself as she busied herself with looking around rather than watching Nilo move about the bottle his meds were in. A silence filled the small home with only the grumbling storm outside breaking it. As Hyacintha stopped on the other side of the counter and looked around the kitchen, she wouldn’t notice Nilo’s actions and would not look at the boy until he spoke.

“For what?” she asked as she tilted her head with a smile as she focused on Nilo rather than the surroundings. There would be a pause for the other to answer if he wished, but then a few short seconds later, Snow’s voice would drift over to them.

“Do you live here alone?” he asked calmly as he stayed in the shadows by the window looking out through the grim at the rain beyond.

To his words, Hyacintha blinked lightly as she turned to him with a mild look of surprise. It was not like Snow to ask such questions out of the blue, especially to a stranger. What was it about this boy that made him act so strange today?
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Hyacintha’s Mood: A bit uncomfortable with anything less than the best, but respectful and thankful to her host nonetheless.

Snow’s Mood: The negativity that surrounds Nilo has put him in an odd state that makes him more curious than usual about things; however, whether these curiosities are a good or bad thing have yet to be seen.

OOC: No worries. You are doing just fine.

Nilo was taken aback by Snow's question, not quite sure as to how to respond correctly at first. He shook his head though, "No... I live here with my mom and our cat." he responded with a tinge of curiosity at the question, almost fearing what Snow was going on about. He seemed slightly scared but hid it up as best as he could, focusing on something else to keep his mind from seeing the absolute strangeness of the situation.

"My... Mom works a lot for us... U-Um..." he said quietly, seeming a little saddened by this before looking up at the two. "O-Oh, uh... Do you want anything to eat or drink...?" he asked politely, realizing he's not being the best house guest at the moment. He walked over to the refrigerator, shifting through its contents while calling out what it had, "There's... Lemonade, water... Um, I can make some coffee or I think we have tea some where..."

He glanced back at the two, still curious of them both. He didn't quite understand them, to be frankly honest. His whole life people either pitied him or hated him. As he thought this, the previously mentioned cat stalked into the room, meowing as it rubbed against Nilo's leg. He bent down to pet the cat before returning his attention to the two guests, the cat tilting its head at the strangers.

Hyacintha stayed where she was her eyes, shifting to Nilo as she saw him move from the corner of her eye. He appeared to be shaking his before he spoke. At the words, Hyacintha tilted her head lightly as she heard the words. So it was just him, his mother, and a cat? Then where was his mom now and why did Nilo seemed worried about something when he was asked that question? Was he not supposed to let strangers in? Or was it something else that bothered him? Hmm maybe she should ask…or not. The boy had more to say despite whatever discomfort was flowing through him.

As she listened Hyacintha nodded as she found herself feeling guilty for her earlier judgment of the place. Here she was thinking everyone should live at her level when in reality that did not happen. Not everyone was born into money and some people like Nilo’s mom had to work really hard to keep what little they had. She…really shouldn’t have been so judgmental the first time around. She didn’t know Nilo and now that she had heard what she heard, she honestly didn’t know what to say or do as she looked down at the ground in thought.

Snow, on the other hand, did not miss a beat as he drifted over, his footsteps light against the floor. He stopped next to Hyacintha as he looked around the kitchen before he was looking at Nilo with calm eyes.

“Ah. That must be tough,” he said softly and then upon seeing the cat, Snow moved slightly around the corner and kneeled down as he tilted his head at the creature. Sure, he had seen one or two in a picture or walking along the streets, but this was the first time he had seen one up close or interacting with a human for that matter. He wasn’t sure why he was so curious about the thing called a cat he just was, but despite the curiosity his face remained neutral as he continued to study the creature.

“Cute,” he said with a light smile that quickly disappeared as Nilo spoke and went into the refrigerator calling out things to drink. To this, Snow stood back up as he shoved his hands in his pocket and regained his cool composure as he looked over at his master who was giving him an amused smile….

Hyacintha, on the other hand, was quiet for a few seconds as she watched Snow and what he did. It was funny watching him speak so easy with another considering she was the chatter box most of the time, but even more amusing than this was his reaction to the cat. It was true Hyacintha could remember vaguely having pets in her life, but ever since she met Snow, she hadn’t recalled too many around. She was certain the labs did not allow them and since they had been away from the labs, she hadn’t thought to purchase a pet; however, as she watched Snow, she wondered if maybe she should get a pet in the future. After all, he seemed to be pretty interested in the cat. Hmmm…

Hyacintha was still pondering this when Snow stood back up and looked over at her when Nilo asked the question regarding drinks and food; however, upon seeing her stare and smile he frowned a bit confused; however, preferring not to unconfused him Hyacintha giggled lightly before turning to Nilo with a smile.

“Lemonade is fine for me, thanks,” she said in cheerful tones as she intentionally kept her focus on Nilo and the cat, letting Snow watch her questioningly. She even allowed him to make his own choice for once just to see if what he would do when she did not make an order for him. It took Snow a moment to swallow what was happening, but when he did, he looked over at Nilo and answered the question.

“…Water, thanks,” Snow said in a little more hesitant than Hyacintha. Unlike his master he wasn’t always offered something or given the choice to choose, but for some reason this one time his master let him choose for himself. It was quite awkward….and even more confusing. Did she like for him to be confused or was he being punished for something? Would he ever know?
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Hyacintha’s Mood: Amused with Snow’s odd behavior and now has more appreciation Nilo and his home after hearing about his mom. She is back to her bubbly self again.

Snow’s Mood: Still a bit strange and confused thanks to his owner, but other wsise comfortable enough in this situation.

Nilo nodded and smiled lightly, standing back up and taking out two glasses and placing them carefully on the counter. He walked to the refrigerator and took out a pitcher of water and lemonade, pouring their contents into a cup then placing them back in the refrigerator. He walked back to the counter, listening to the pitter patter of the rain begin to calm down.

"... Thank you for bringing me home... It... Means a lot to me..." he said with a barely noticeable smile on his face. His entire demeanor seemed different than it was as the school. His thoughts no longer were enveloped with negativity, instead a calmness settled over him. Mind you he was still remembering to punish himself later, but a peace reined over him at the present.

"... Um... Oh, that's Scruffles by the way." he said pointing to the cat, "He's really old... Mom said he was eight." The cat mewed in some form of curiosity and confusion at why their was two new people in the house. Nilo payed the old cat no mind, which only caused the cat to walk up to Nilo and rub against his leg. Nilo bent down and began to pet him again, smiling lightly at him.

Nilo's thoughts stay happy for a short while before something dawned on him. "My book... D-Did I drop it at school?" he said slightly panicky, standing back up a little to fast, causing Scruffles to meow angrily. "S-Sorry..." he muttered to the cat, shaking his head and trying to calm himself down.

He looked up at the two after a while, blushing lightly at his minor freak out. "Sorry... I just... The b-book means a lot... T-To me..." he stuttered out, his nerves still high despite his efforts at calming him down. He sighed quietly to himself, brushing a strand of his hair away from his eye. He stayed quiet after that, trying to reclaim his composure.

Scruffles on the other hand didn't seem to care about his master's panic attack. He walked over to Snow, deciding he seemed to be the best petter and began to rub against his leg, meowing cutely despite his scraggly and old appearance.

Rain. It poured outside for a few moments before it began to settle into a gentle pitter patter that signal that soon the storm was going to end. As Hyacintha listened to the storm calm down, she found herself relaxing a bit more into the home the boy had allowed them into. Even though it was small, it was nice and that glass of lemonade she had requested?

Hyacintha gave Nilo a thank you as he filled up the glass before her. Then reaching out with her free hand, she picked up the glass and took a swallow of the cool liquid. Sweet, yet sour. A perfect balance of both worlds that made the girl close her eyes and smile in joy as she savored the taste. It had been so long since she had lemonade that she had almost forgotten why she loved it so much in the first place.

“So good,” Hyacintha would say in a soft pleased voice as she reopened her eyes and took another sip and then another…and another. Within a few seconds, she had finished the lemonade and placed the empty glass on counter with a content sigh. Giving Nilo a smile she shook her head.

“It was no problem. I am just glad you are okay,” she said with a gentle giggle before she tilted her head at the boy. “Besides that lemonade was well worth it. Thank you so much for the delicious treat.”

Meanwhile as this conversation happened Snow had watched his master scarf down the lemonade with slightly raised eyebrows before he was looking away and focusing on the cup of water before him. He took a few swallows of the liquid feeling it quench his hunger as the negativity in the area died down. Becoming a bit more composed than before, Snow resumed being his usually quiet self until the subject of the cat came up. To Nilo’s words, Snow’s almond shaped eyes would drift from the boy to the cat he was speaking of as he tilted his head.

Scruffles? Huh. What an odd name. Still not knowing anything about pets, let alone naming them, Snow supposed that name was fitting for the curious creature. He was still studying the cat when Nilo mentioned its age causing the young man to look up at him with open curiosity.

“8 is small number. I would not figure that to be old. Does numbers perhaps work differently for cats than humans?” he asked the other before falling silent to allow Nilo to answer or not as he watched the interaction between the cat and the boy for a second before looking away and drinking more of the water.

A comfortable silence filled the home for a few moments and then the calm was broken as the boy stood up panicking about something. As result of the action, the cat ended up meowing angrily as Snow automatically became tensed and focused on the boy. While it was true he was comfortable within the house and even had enough mercy within to help the boy out, it was also true that this child was not yet his friend or someone who he trusted. So naturally, he became protective of Hyacintha when a sudden movement was made.

Hyacintha on the other hand jumped slightly, but then composing herself as she heard what the boy was saying she blinked before remembering Snow had actually given her a book before they had entered.

“Oh! I completely forgot I had been handed the book,” Hyacintha said in a voice full of distress as she quickly fumbled about to get the book. Placing the book carefully on the counter, she bowed to Nilo apologetically.

“I am so sorry! So, so sorry!” she said as she remained bowed with her eyes lowered to the ground. She really hadn’t meant to hold onto the book and now that she had caused a panic from forgetfulness. All she could do now was keep her head lowered to try and hide the tinge of red that had rose to her cheeks from embarrassment.

While all this was going on, Snow relaxed a bit seeing that this whole panic was caused over a book and not something threatening. Letting out a very soft sigh, the tension was released from his body..only to build up once again a second later as he felt something rub against his leg. Looking down, he saw it was the cat.

Sighing lightly once more, he kneeled down and cautiously reached out to pet the cat.

“Hey there, Scruffles,” he said softly as he gave the cat a small smile, seemingly content with giving the cat attention for now.
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Hyacintha’s Mood: Oh, can I go through the floor now? How could I have forgotten Snow had given me his book?! Nilo please forgive me!

Snow’s Mood: Focused on the cat.

Nilo looked up at Hyacintha, responding with a deep blush and a shake of his head. He walked up and took the book, taking it into his hands and opening up to a page before closing it. He looked up at Hyacintha's bowing posture and bit his lower lip, hating himself for making her unhappy and nervous. He thought his words carefully before speaking, as he commonly did.

"I-I... I'm sorry... I just... This book... Um... I-It..." he stuttered out, realizing the words he was trying to say weren't coming out right. He sighed and shook his head, opening the book back up. "I... Er... W-Write what... I can see... But my mom can't... S-She works so much she never gets to d-do stuff... So I-I write down everything she misses..." he said after a long moment of silence, looking up at Hyacintha with a sorry eyes.

"... If I lost it... She wouldn't have anything but work..." he said, lowering his head back down, closing the book back up. He felt pathetic and weak again, wondering why he was opening up to this girl. She seemed nice, but he hardly knew her, yet he was telling her so much. The only people that knew about the book where him and his mom; it was special to them, it was a sign to him that he wasn't completely useless.


"I'm sorry..." is all he could say; he wanted to apologize for everything though, feeling like he was causing a catastrophe of his house guesting. His negativity was still there, but was dying down a bit as he calmed his raging emotions, returning his gaze up to Hyacintha with a weak smile.

"Um... Did you like the lemonade?" he asked in an attempt to lighten the mood. He wasn't used to this and his question came out sounding quite strange and more of a statement than a question. He frowned at this quickly though, shaking his head. "S-Sorry... I said that funny... Um..." he apologized quickly, not wishing to confuse his guests, probably doing so regardless.

Scruffles on the other hand was having a wonderful time at being petted, purring loudly and happily. He arched his back up, his tail flicking in delight. He mewed out happily and probably what could be taken as a thank you. The cat rarely got attention despite his owner's loving him dearly, although it made sense, one was always working and the other was always busy trying to not end up a failure. The cat payed this no mind though, finding the petting to be the most important thing at the moment.

Hyacintha would not notice the blush as she stayed in her bowed position for a moment longer wishing she could go through the floor at this moment. How could she have forgotten she had the other’s book? Jeez…and just when she thought things were going well she had messed up again. Staying in her grumbling thoughts for a while longer, Hyacintha would eventually take a chance to look up as she sensed movement from the other.

Shyly looking up, she listened as Nilo fumble around for the right words. Slowly standing back up, she patiently waited for the other to finish his thought.  As she heard the words she felt her heart sink even more at the thought of the earlier forgetfulness, but at the same time she also felt a deep warmth come from what she heard. This kid was really trying hard to give his mom something special, just as she was trying hard to keep a roof over their heads.

As Hyacintha eyes met the sad ones of Nilo, she found herself looking downward as her shoulders slumped slightly as the tension left her body.

“I…think that is really sweet of you to do, Nilo. You and your mom…you seem to take care of each other so well,” she said as she looked up at him giving a small smile, but her eyes held something similar to sorrow in them, but whether it was real or a practice action was hard to say.

“I don’t have any parents anymore, so I don’t know if I can truly understand how special that book is to you, but…” she hesitated as she looked over at Snow who seemed to be more focus on the cat than the conversation at hand. Watching him she smiled slightly as she shook her head and looked back up at Nilo. “I think I can relate a little. I know if it was something that I and Snow shared, I wouldn’t want to lose it either. I’ll try to not be so forgetful the next time around and I am really sorry to cause the panic. Is there anything I can do to gain your forgiveness?” Hyacintha asked, her words sincere all the while as she looked at the other in a truly sorry fashion.

When the subject came back to the lemonade, Hyacintha would brighten up a bit as she nodded with a gentle smile.

“It was delicious,” she said not seeming to be phased by the question and then giggling lightly, she tilted her head at the other. “You’ve said nothing wrong,” she said honestly and then thinking back to the lemonade she spoke again. “Did you make the lemonade?”

Meanwhile, as Hyacintha and Nilo talked, Snow listened to what was being said, sensing shifts in the air here and there, but none that caused concerned. He was happy his master was getting along with the boy despite earlier misunderstandings, so the quiet young man remained quiet as he instead focused on the cat that seemed to be enjoying the petting. More fascinated with the cat than what was being said Snow would eventually sit on the floor and continue to play with the cat, content like a little child.

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Hyacintha’s Mood: Open and honest. She seems to be trying to get a better understanding of Nilo.

Snow’s Mood: Listening and alert, despite being currently charmed by the cat.

Both are quite comfortable with Nilo despite hiccups here and there.

Nilo smiled lightly to Hyacintha, nodding politely at her. "It was my grand-mother's recipe. I make it when I can." he said with an air of light joy in his work. It wasn't often that he was able to do much, but when he could he took pride in his work. He looked down at his book again before deciding to try and answer Hyacintha's question.

"Um... You don't need to do anything for me... You didn't do anything wrong, really..." he said with a small smile, an attempt to reassure her. He didn't quite know how to answer it really, most people didn't bother to offer a sorry when they did something wrong. It took him a bit to realize he was staying very quiet, glancing around the room before stopping on Snow and Scruffles. He cracked a smile but quickly looked away, not wanting to offend Snow by finding the two humorous together.

"You asked me about cat age... Um... I think a year for us is seven for them... So eight times seven is..." he thought for a while, drumming his fingers on his book to keep track of the numbers. "Fifty-six?" he answered after a while, not very confidant in his math skills. He thought for a while, as he normally did for about everything. He found it more comfortable to talk to the two despite just meeting them. It was nice but strange at the same time, not a bad strange, but a kind of nice one.

"My mom brought him home from an alley when I was little. He was a small little kitten, and his fur was all scraggly... So we named him Scruffles because of his fur." he said with a slight smile, reminded of the happy memory. He opened the book up to one of the earlier pages, turning it around to show Hyacintha. On the page there was a picture of a younger Nilo holding a kitten Scruffles; below it was a well written short paragraph on the kitten.


Nilo bit his lower lip, realizing Hyacintha might be confused by his action of doing so. He wasn't used to show casing his writings to other people. This book was the only book show casing the writings that weren't full of grim stories. It was odd for him, a strange feeling swirled within him as he shared this piece of him with them. He blushed lightly behind the open book, glancing above the book's rim to see Hyacintha's reaction.

It was nice to see the smile and shift in Nilo’s personality as the boy took true pleasure in the compliment given about the lemonade. In response, Hyacintha returned the smile.

“Oh, how neat,” she said and then folding her arms she lifted one finger to her lips as she looked up at the ceiling in thought. “You know in one of the boxes back home, I have a recipe for lemonade too; however, when I tried to create it, it came out horrible,” she said making a face to emphasis just how bad the lemonade was before she giggled lightly and looked back at Nilo.

“Since then, I leave the cooking and preparation of things to Snow. At least he makes edible things,” she said with a bright smile.

From the floor, Snow shifted a bit seeming a bit awkward with the compliment.

“I am honestly not that good,” the other muttered lightly as he stole a glance upward at the pair and then quickly looking down resumed playing with the pet, seemingly bashful for the moment about the whole ordeal. Hyacintha chuckled at this.

“See that?” she said to Nilo as she leaned against the counter. “That is a sign he is lying. He creates excellent dishes,” she said playfully causing Snow to only grumble a bit more as he shook his head clearly trying to keep the cool guy act up.

Shaking her head, Hyacintha would focus on Nilo as he spoke and told her that she did not need to do anything to gain forgiveness for she had done nothing wrong. While someone else might’ve been doubtful of the words and said that Nilo was simply being nice, when Hyacintha heard the words and saw the small smile of reassurance, she let out a sigh of relief.

“Oh thank goodness,” she said out loud as she felt the tension from her earlier mistake disappear. So she hadn’t damaged any potential friendship. Wonderful! She was still in the safe zone there. While Hyacintha tried to recompose herself once more, she hardly noticed the silence that had befallen the house.

Snow, on the other hand, continued to pet the cat a bit fascinated with how appreciative the animal was of attention…and also kind of glad he had the cat to focus on to recompose himself once more after Hyacintha decided to brag about his abilities to prepare meals and such. Yes, he could make passable meals, but to go as far as saying they were excellent was a little bit too much praise for the reserved young man and while he usually could brush such things off, he could not do so now. It was odd, but it was something about Nilo and the house that just relaxed Snow in such a fashion he did not feel the need to hide himself or his actions fully.

He was open, but not as much as he was when that white haired gentleman had come to visit. Still, there was something about Nilo that made Snow not want to harm him or lie fully to him….

Strange. Was this one connected to the greater dream? Or was this just a coincidence that the boy made him lower his guard? It was hard to say without getting to know the boy more. He would have to wait and see. In any case, despite the small awkward moments here and there, Snow would eventually let the odd event and wandering questions take a back seat to his fascination with the cat that he currently petted and played with.

Snow would remain quite content with the cat only being drawn away from it momentarily as Nilo addressed him regarding his earlier question about the way cat’s aged. As he heard the explanation, the young man nodded lightly to the other.

“If what you say is correct, then yes he would be 56,” Snow said to Nilo in calm tones before turning back to the cat with a smile as he resumed petting it. He scratched behind the animal's ears as he continued. “However, I don’t think that is old at all. Still looks like Scruffles has much life in him to spare.” Snow petted the cat some more as he tuned into the story that the boy told about the cat.

When the boy opened the book and turned it so Hyacintha could see it, the girl and the boy moved at the same time. Snow managed to get on his knees being careful not to upset the cat as he moved to where he could see over the counter to see the picture as Hyacintha leaned forward to read the paragraph under the picture of a young child and cat that she could only assume was Nilo and Scruffles. There was a brief silence as the pair read and then....

“Poor baby. He was outside in all that bad weather! I wonder who left him there or what happened to his mother,” Hyacintha said as she did her best to hold back tears that were threatening to come thanks to the sad story. Snow on the other hand was more calm about the situation as he looked up at Nilo taking notice he was hiding behind the book for some reason as he watched Hyacintha.

Slightly suspicious of this, but deciding not to make too much of a fuss, Snow spoke.

“Your mother must have…” he paused for a moment searching for the right word. “…a kind heart to stop in the rain for the cat’s sake,” he finished and then looked down at Scruffles with a light smirk on his face.

“He seems to be pretty content with you guys. I am sure he appreciates…the love given,” Snow said as his eyes drifted from the cat and back to Nilo. Those words he had just said were so sweet they tasted like acid to him. Snow hated to play nice with words, but in a society that was not yet ready for the truth, niceness had to be used to keep the peace until the time was right. Good thing he had practiced saying the foul tasting words and even more the smiles that went with them. At least on the surface he seemed genuine enough. Besides, it wasn't like he was aiming to break the boy or anything just yet. After all, it was too soon in the game for that sort of play.
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Hyacintha Mood: She is upset by the cat story, but still her ususal self.

Snow's Mood: Trying to remain polite even if it does make him sick to do so. A small sign he like Nilo a bit.

Nilo nodded and smile lightly, closing the book after they finished reading the short paragraph. He nodded towards Snow with a light smile, glancing down at Scruffles happily. He bent down to pet Scruffles, smiling down at him for a long moment. While doing so he thought out his words like usual, debating what was the best thing to say.

"I think he was orphaned by his mother... I don't know if she could provide for him..." he said before smiling at what Snow in response. "My mom works hard for us... She really loves us both..." he said quietly, feeling a little remorseful at his uselessness before composing himself. He stood back up after a while, listening to the rain continuing to pour down out side.

The sky was still dark, the time slipping into the afternoon behind the dark abyss of clouds. Nilo frowned lightly, contemplating what they would do if the rain didn't let up. They didn't own a car and he knew when his mom came home she'd probably react oddly with the two. He actually debated how his mom would act; he had never brought friends home before simply because he ever had any. He wondered if his mom would insist the two stay the night or if she'd devise a plan to get them to their home with not a drop of water touching them.

He contemplated this before looking at the two and then hearing an opening of the door. Scruffles meowed happily and walked over to the tall, wiry haired woman who entered the kitchen, "Hello, Scruffles. Wonderful to see you, and Nilo how wa-" she stopped, looking at the two other people in the house, smiling happily at them. "Oh, hello! My name is Ms. Raina, and you must be Nilo's friends! Oh! Are you staying for dinner?" she said before placing down the groceries on the counter and taking off her thick coat, draping it over a coat stand in the corner of the room. "Oh, forgive my rudeness! I didn't even ask your names!" she said as she slowed down her antics.

Nilo blushed all the same, slightly embarrassed by his mother's reaction to his guests. He looked at them, smiling lightly and reassuringly, doing his best to calm any nerves and or tensions his mother may have caused. "Sorry... She gets exited." he said with a light smile, his mother hushing him as she went to prepare a meal for the four of them.

Snow remained on his knees for a while longer barely budging when Nilo came over to the pet the cat that was near him. For a split second, Snow felt a ping of aggression towards the boy as he petted the cat that the young man saw as his; however, quickly reminding himself of the truth kept the aggression from showing as Snow managed to somehow return the smile the other gave him.

It was hard controlling not being possessive or territorial at times, but Snow could not get too upset with the boy. After all, the cat belonged to this family, so he honestly had no right to attack the original owners, even if it was tempting to do. Besides, this child was nice enough, so why harm something that did not displease him? The logic, as twisted as it was, was reasonable enough keeping Snow calm and open to the boy as he began to speak about the cat in response to Hyacintha’s earlier words.

His mother could not provide for him and so abandoned him? Hmm…the logic while strange to humans made perfect sense to Snow. He couldn’t explain why he understood this concept so well, but if one couldn’t take care of something weaker than itself, then to survive that creature would leave the weaker link. Cruel, but that was simply how the world works. The weak perished and the strong survived. It was as simple as that. Despite Snow’s agreement with the logic, he said nothing as Hyacintha spoke instead.

“That is so sad, but then again. If she hadn’t left him, he wouldn’t be with you guys either. I am glad it worked out for all,” she said as she began to cheer up a bit at the thought of the happy ending. When the subject came to Nilo’s mother, Snow watched the boy with serious eyes at first not returning the smile as he traced shifts in the air around the boy; however when the boy finished, Snow found himself looking down feeling a bit uncertain how to react to such words. He had never had a mother nor did he claim to understand whatever love was. Did love equal protectiveness, possession? What? A bit perplexed for a bit, he would ponder this with the smallest of frowns before glancing back at Nilo with as a small lopsided smile appeared on his lips.

“I see,” was all he said softly before falling silent once more to ponder this relationship of family. As silence fell between the trio once more, the rain outside continued its light tapping letting everyone know that the rain was still falling. Even if it wasn’t falling as heavily as before the rain was still not going to let up. Hmmm…

As each person fell into their own thoughts about the rain and how to get home without getting too wet should Nilo tell them to leave, Snow pulled himself to his feet quietly, using the edge of the counter for support; however, as soon as he got to his feet, Snow felt him tense as he heard a door open and someone walking in. At the same time he tensed, Hyacintha turned to look at who may be approaching as the Scruffles went to greet the one entering.

It was a woman carrying bags into the kitchen. She was already talking when she entered, but upon seeing Hyacintha and Snow she had stopped to look at them before smiling and speaking again. She introduced herself as Ms. Raina before mentioning something about being friends with Nilo and dinner before pausing once more to put things down and away. As she asked for their names there was a moment of silence as Hyacintha and Snow tried to recover from the sudden excitement the woman had displayed.

Neither one knew how to answer correctly at first. It took Nilo’s words to bring the pair out of their stunned state. As he was apologizing, Hyacintha shook herself mentally as a smile appeared on her face.

“That is no problem at all,” she said to Nilo before her turning her eyes to the woman moving about the kitchen. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Raina. My name is Hyacintha and this is Snow,” Hyacintha said introducing Snow to the woman. In turn, Snow tensed a bit more as he glanced first to his master and then to the woman as a light silence came into the area. Umm…he was supposed to say something right?

“Hello…” he managed to get out softly before he was looking down as a light blush came to his face as for the first time ever he found himself unable to fully compose himself. Snow wasn’t sure what it was about this place or this family, but there was something here that drew the quiet boy to the place, but at the same time made him want to run. He didn’t understand why this happened and so a bit confused he chose to remain quiet as his master took over speaking for a while longer.

“Aww. Come on is that best you can do for a hello?” Hyacintha asked as she placed her hands on her hips with a pout as she looked at Snow. To her words, he simply shook his head as he lowered it even more trying really hard to just disappear right now. He honestly didn’t know what to do right now.

With a light huff of disappointment, Hyacintha shook her head lightly before turning back to Nilo and his mother with her bright smile once more upon her face.

“Forgive him for his rudeness today. Honestly, he is usually more well-mannered than that,” she said as she bowed apologetically to Ms. Raina before standing again. “We actually were offered shelter by Nilo here and was staying to wait out the rain. I am sorry we have had to stay so long and I thank you for allowing us to stay any longer. Is there anything we can do to help you out?” she asked.

“Yes. Please let us assist you as payment for your kindness,” Snow piped in finally gathering enough of himself to speak properly again as he looked up to see the woman moving about to prepare something. It looked they were staying for dinner.
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Hyacintha's Mood:Comfortable in the social setting.

Snow's Mood: Give me a moment. >.<

Ms. Raina smiled and nodded, taking out pots and pans from within the cabinets. She clapped her hands before turning her attention to the three kids. "Okay! Snow, that bag has vegetables, please cut them, the knives are in the drawer right there. Hyacintha? Could you go through that bag and take out the rice and begin steaming it?" she said, dolling out the tasks with a polite smile. "Nilo? Can you take out the chicken from the last bag? We can't possibly have chicken noodle soup with out the chicken, even if we're using rice instead of noodles!" she said with a smile and happy laugh.

The three paper bags where on the counter, the one to the right filled with carrots, cucumbers, and onions. The middle one held the chicken, along with a bottle of cooking oil. The last one to the left held a bag of rice, along with smaller bags of beans and dried fruits.

Nilo nodded to his mother's commands, taking out the wrapped chicken and walking over to a pot his mom placed on the stove. He unwrapped the chicken and placed it in the pot, his mother promptly pouring a pitcher of water within it after words. He looked up at his mom with a smile, happy she didn't freak out over his guests. He stood back as his mom began to prepare the temperature of the stove, humming a happy tune as she did so.

He looked over to Hyacintha and Rose, smiling lightly at them. "Thank you..." he said quietly, not wishing to disturb his mom. It meant a lot to him that they were willing to stay and eat dinner with his small family. He pondered his mom's words at calling them his friends. Did they think that way about him? They seemed nice enough to, but he was to afraid to ask them, at this time at least.