V-Day

The journey was silent in essence. It often involved occasions when the two wondered what were on each other’s minds only to discover that they shared the same thoughts altogether, which comprised mainly of memories, sometimes dwellings that they would forget as soon as they would wake from their trance to absorb the distances that they had crossed, almost as if it were waking from a dream. Blue would often come to read Van’s mind, sometimes seeing if he had anything to say. His voice was yet to find its place inside the fold of his vocals; at one particular occasion, she saw through him an image that depicted her where she was now, ultimately meaning that he looked at her. And when she would glance his way, she would merely receive a soft expression of a smile in response and an index finger that prodded her forehead, thoughts projecting his captivity that was held by her long hair. Though, that particular moment would fade when Van’s momentary distraction had been disrupted by a face-slam onto the barks of thin tree. “Who pu’ dat der?!’ He projected, rubbing his nose.

It was a pleasant moment of tranquility despite its lack of activity to entertain them. Entertainment came by merely contemplation and memories aside from each other. Silence occupied the majority of their travel though she was particularly intrigued from what she discovered in his mind every now and then when she decided to dwell into his thoughts in order to establish a communicatin between them until his vocal cords regenerated completely. She blinked as he prodded her forehead but accepted it as an affectionate gesture as her expression softened. But their moment of silence was shattered by his strident protest after he had literally ran straight into a bark of a tree as she stared at him momentarily before she looked into the distance when she noticed the tops of buildings. "We're near a town. Perhaps we should stop there for the night. I prefer sleeping with a roof over my head." She stated before she proceeded forward towards the establishment she had taken notice of. She did not think their bag of Forest Berries would last for long either if they had quite a distance to travel before they reached their destination. "Coming?" She asked over her shoulder.

Van would follow silently while he recovered from that oozing sensation after he had literally mashed his nose into the barks, sniffing and wrinkling his nose throughout the occasion as he attempted to soothe the sore thing with a careful index finger. Some ear-perking air escaped his lips like a bag drained of its own as he tried to speak a couple of times to test his recovery, only to fail with that. Irritation followed suit with that notion – but he supposed that his temporal method of communication from a perspective seemed more sincere, and ergo more clear. He measured the city with the sense of a man who had once heard of the place before coming to it. That was what Blue felt just like he mentioned, though it wasn’t the popular steaks perked his interest when he caught sight of the remnants of a flash. An idea sparked a grin, and it traced itself upon the Barbarian Prince’s lips as he coaxed Blue to follow him when his fingers coiled around two of her own. A tall figure emerged from the cloak behind the capturing device, incredibly tall – old – and familiar. “Pic- . . .” It ushered before the crowd before its hand disappeared into the cloak of its beard, scratching the skin beneath. “-tures. Images of . . memory , if the word is – right. Pic – tures.”

Blue kept her attention ahead once she was certain had followed and eventually came to walk beside her once more after attempting to alleviate his injured nose and testing the progress of his regenerating vocals before growing irritated at the fact that he could still not even make any resemblance to a word. Blue did not mind their temporary communication. Though their perspectives on the notion were different. Van, perhaps, failed to see the significance of it. Telepathy was - for the most part - intimate. It was a sharing of thoughts which held more truth than words were capable of. Telepathy had the possibility of being more than just that, which was why it was said only telepaths could understand the bond between two telepaths. Blue - it was obvious she was capable of telepathy. But only a chosen few she actually established such a connection to, otherwise she preferred to keep her thoughts and emotions hidden behind that cold exterior. Touch. Telepathy. Each had the capability of expressing Blue in ways she could not with words. It went as far displaying notions she had yet to even acknowledge or recognize, like her emotions. It was her own form of communication, which was misunderstood in society were words were the foundation of communication. Blue stared ahead before her attention was immediately drawn to Van in curiousity when he grasped her fingers and led her in a different direction. Soon, though, she also caught sight of the tall figure who stood out amongst the crowd, if his own unique form of speaking did not give away his identity. "Old Man," Blue acknowledged with an upward quirk of a brow. What was he doing here? "Pictures? I thought you preferred stories or is your memory failing you so you now need to capture images?"

Two lazy blinks suggested that he had slowly registered the significance voice from within the crowd as he scratched his chin before his ankles shuffled him to his left for a moment, then to his right as he seemed to – in his own way ofcourse, search out the source before he layed his grey transparent eyes upon it. “Cookie. . .” He began, prodding the side of his head with his small figure as his face twitched, suggesting that whatever mechanism hidden behind that skull of his was still functioning. “Cooke – baking – Blue. . .”

“Decietful. . .” He nearly accused, before prodding the bottom of his chin now as his eyes lifted towards the heavens for two minutes that perked the crowd’s interest and curiosity. The girl? Decietful? “Del-lightful. Yes. That’s – the word.” He ushered, before the crowd fell silent, most of them chuckling as they realized the contrary. “Delightful – picture – I –will –take. You two – must be – in…In…” Van would blink he saw the beard jolt when something tugged at it. “Hmm…?” Old man lowered his head lightly towards the source, a shy girl with a face and a reserved look crowned with brown hair of silk. She whispered something into the man’s ear. “Yes...” he smiled in delight, patting the girl. “You are omniscient.” He suggested to her, before standing to his height. “You two must be in – the picture.” The Barbarian Prince produced an image of himself that drew a hand to his face, in his mind, but the nevertheless tolerated that concept. That senile fart. Never the less, he did accept the man’s offer, tugging at Blue.

Blue patiently waited for Old Man to catch sight of her as she noticed him searching for the derivation of the voice that had acknowledged and questioned him at the same time before his eyes finally settled upon her form. She stared up at him quietly as he began, waiting for him to continue and finish as she noticed him having difficulty picking out the appropriate words to address her by. Blue also appeared intrigued when Old Man accused her of being decietful. Decietful? To him? Not that she recalled though she also did not appear offended by the possibility of the accusation so her stoic expression did not falter even as he corrected himself and lost the crowd's interest. Blue continued to wait as Old Man tried to continue before being aided by a small child. Blue blinked at the notion of a picture before she glanced to Van who had submitted to Old Man's demands. "Why?" She asked as she was tugged into position in order to take a picture, even though she did not see the significance of taking one and neither did she appeared prepared to smile for it either.

~bah, jus’ trus’ me on dis ‘an, wouldja?’ Van’s thoughts would echo just as he firmly topped her head with his, positioning his chin over her head while he stood behind her. An affectionate playful fist prodding the side of her confused face just as a flash came. The air whispered timely enough to carry the picture that slid out of the device, causing the article to glide onto their feet.

Blue blinked, momentarily blinded by the flash that came from the device that Old Man held in his hands. She looked forward to watch the picture slide out of the device and settle at their feet as she looked down at it before leaning down to retrieve it. She stared at the black surface which was slowly developing to reveal the image that had been captured. She studied it momentarily before offering it to Van since he had been the one who had insisted in taking the picture. She assumed he would be the one who would want it. Or Old Man would. She certainly did not know what to do with it. She did not take pictures.

~Memory, lass.~ Van suggested in the end, coaxing her to look at the picture one more time as his wieght against her lightened, raising himself to a stand before providing her with a sincere grin. ~It's wha' always kept us togetha' when'eva we seperated. This'an 'an of'em.~

She glanced down at the picture one more time as she thought she looked slightly ridiculous. A confused expression on her face and eyes staring at the fist prodding the side of her face while Van looked content as expected. She tilted her head back in order to stare up at Van once his weight upon her lightened while he tried to explain to her the significance of the picture. She blinked before lowering her eyes one more time to the image of them captured onto the fragile object. Memories. Her expression softened as she examined the image with a new perspective before giving a nonchalant shrug. "I suppose so. That still does not explain why Old Man is here taking pictures and not in Nede demanding interesting stories in return for shelter from his clients." She pointed out.

Van wondered the same. He never seen the anywhere near outside his inn, not to mention outside Nede at all. “This old – thing.” The ancient spoke slowly, just as he folded the stand into a size that he was able to slide into his pocket with admirable ease before he held the box between his hands. “Is curious about the world once more. Stories – come and go – the world remains to be seen.” The Barbarian Prince blinked before looking at Blue. He never suspected that a man of - well – as old as Old man would be any more curious about the world then a snail. He wanted Blue to ask him questions in his stead, though when he glaced towards him, he was gone. Van would peer side ways, blinking, before a snore perked his ear. The ancient seated on a bench, sleeping with his camera on his laps. ~Odd fella’~

Blue stared at Old Man as he began to answer her question, even though the pace of his speech was slow enough to aggravate the common man. Blue waited patiently while Old Man revealed that his curiosity of the world is what drew him out of his abode to once more explore it. Old Man was possibly old but the world was perpetually changing. It was more than likely that Old Man would come across something that he had not seen or experienced before. Even if his pace in doing so would be a crawl at best as the duo would soon come to realize that he had fallen asleep on a bench nearby. "He does what he must. Just as we do," she stated calmly, tucking the picture away before her eyes began to wander. And as they wandered, she began to notice something peculiar. She watched people walking around with gifts that mainly consised of flowers, balloons, and plush animals. She could merely stare as a man carried a teddy bear half his size out of a store only to hand it over to a female, who appeared overjoy and gave a rather intimate appreciation on the lips to him. Blue blinked, examining the populace with confusion. "Why are people walking around with giant teddy bears?" Blue asked, catching sight of another individual with a large bonquet of roses and flowers. The atmosphere in the air was... odd, to her. If she was not confused enough, what happened next dumbfounded her. A random stranger approached her and handed her a single rose from his generous bonquet. Taking notice of her confused expression, he simply smiled. "A flower for the pretty lady. You should smile more often. Any man would be a fool to forget about you this day." The man stated before waving off as he carried away his vase of flowers for a special someone. Blue simply stared off after him before looking to the rose he had handed her. This day? "That man just gave me a rose for no reason," Blue stated in a tone that stated that she felt obviously displaced. What was the world coming to? When another man appeared to be approaching, Blue couldn't help but snap at him. "Don't touch me." She stated firmly and glared at him before she eased her way slightly behind Van to place him between any other oncoming men. People were being too friendly for her taste and this made her suspicous as she glanced around warily.

Van would chain a few gestures when the man looked at him. He certainly did not understand them, though he was assured that mute one knew the reason why Blue snapped at him so he ventured on, overseeing his own affairs, though not before ushering the words. "Happy V's Day." Van would turn to face Blue in her predicament, grinning slightly as he finally registered the occassion. His hands lowered to her shoulders, fingers tightening with an assuring grip as he attempted to reach her mind, explaining the occassion as best as he could. 'Neva' really bough' da idea, a'leas', when A was alone.' He admitted, shrugging in a friendly manner.

Blue leered after the man once he changed directions and began to venture away from them before Blue scanned the vicinity, making certain every other stranger kept their distance though she relaxed once Van turned to her and offered reassurance. Blue stared at him as she felt him trying to establish a link to communicate with her before she opened her mind to him so that she knew what he was thinking. She listened as he began to explain to her the occassion though she appeared more perplexed than before. Valentine's Day? A day for lovers where they exchanged gifts as signs of their affection? Blue glanced around once more as she recognized now the reason why there were so many people with gifts and bags, as well as balloons shaped like hearts and advertisements that screamed sales candy and plush animals. "Oh," Blue stated as she calmed, toying slightly with the rose that had been given to her, its thorns cut off to make it easier to handle. "But I was not that man's love interest, why did he give me a flower?" Blue asked curiously as she tried to decipher the intentions of the rose that had been given to her as she stared down at the delicate object. What she did know that people in this town were quite friendly, even if only for today. Her natural suspicion and animosity toward humans made her wary of any that approached her that appeared too friendly. She did not like them. She did not trust them. She would prefer that they all fell off the face of the earth, honestly. There was only one human she would spare if she had the choice to do so.

~It bi called curtosy, luv. Curtosy.” He had hoped that the word would suffice for her. If not, he would try his best to decipher and explain that notion to her when the time is right. All that mattered now, was how he would make this sort of event meaningful to her. It was not the sort that his own village had celeberated, even back during his time with Emma. ~Roigh’.~ At first, he thought of buying new cloths, though anything related to withdrawal of currency through electronic means spelled danger. He still had money on him – he wasn’t sure just how much spending power did he really have.

"Curtosy?" She questioned and contemplated on the notion for a moment before shrugging nonchalantly as she accepted the explanation. She broke the stem of the rose in order to make it shorter and more convenient to carry around until she decided what she was going to do with it. The first thought that came to mind was to throw it away in the proper location once she came across one. The holiday or event held no significance to her. She had heard of it before, seen it a couple of times in Nede, but never had held any interest for it. She had no reason to. It was a human event. "Well we should continue trying to find a temporary shelter," she stated as she brought back the subject at hand. "I still have some money on me which could last us a little while as long as we're wise in spending it." She began to walk down the street as she searched for a building or sign that indicated a place to temporary rest in. She desired to reserve a room for them as soon as possible so that when night fell, they had a room to retire to without having to wait or be disappointed if the inn was full.

Van submitted to the notion that reserving shelter may have been the best course of action until further notice. They couldn’t afford to be noticed and therefore, couldn’t afford to sleep outside in the street. Yes. It was sensible. He nodded when he registered completely and began to direct his gaze towards the signs, peering and searching before they inevitably perceived one. For budget’s sake, he hoped that the event had some degree of positive effect over the prices.

Blue was not too concerned about their budget. They could afford a couple of nights though she did not plan to spend more than one in this town. They had to keep moving if they wanted to use their time wisely. She stepped into the inn once they found one and walked up to the reception desk where she would ask if there were any vacant rooms and then reserve one for the two of them. The receptionist told them that the room would be prepared for them and that they should come back in about an hour, which meant they had an hour to use. Blue stepped away from the desk and looked to Van curiously. "Do you want to walk around town for a while?" She asked since she could not think of any other activity they could do to fill up an hour's time. She would not mind people-watching or exploring the town. But then again, she would not mind simply sitting in the room and waiting for their room to be ready either.

Van would idly ask Blue to wait as he studied the map of the town while scratching the bottom of his chin, frowning as he seemed rather keen on finding those particular activities that would keep them at bay, and hopefully entertained. With a pen he idly blatantly from the receptionist’s hand, he marked the some particular points he found of certain interest before batting the tiny map onto the reception in a gesture of results. Blue had reserved a special for particular sweets; as he analyzed her compelling self towards fruits like Forest Berries. This time however wasn’t a different approach to certain delights as emphasized when Van disappeared for a few moments into a particular store, before he emerged two particular cones of ice cream. ‘Vanilla er strawberry?"

Blue blinked but waited patiently for Van to finish examining the map of the town since he appeared to desire a more specific activity for them to do other than the ones she had suggested. She crossed her arms as she watched him quietly until he came to a decision on which locations to visit before they ventured into town once more. Blue was silent but observant as they traversed along the street before she noticed him disappearing into a particular store. Blue was tempted to pursue him as she peered in through the window to inside of the store before he returned with two cones of icecream. She stared at him as he posed the question while she scrutinized the two cones before glancing back to his face and pointing at the one she would prefer. "Vanilla." She stated. She did not why he had purchased icecream, though. She thought they were in a budget and she did not consider it wise spending it on treats and delights. She would take the offer and stare down at the ice cream with curoisity. She had not had ice cream in... god knows how long. She did not usually treat herself, at all. She brought the ice cream to her lips and lapped quietly yet contently at the delicious dessert, relishing the flavor before lowering the cone as she licked away any ice cream that had lingered on her lips. "You did not have to, y'know. I do not think this will be as filling as a regular meal."

Van would finish the traces left in his fingers, licking his lips as he unwrapped the mini map and studied it carefully. ~Well, les’ leave tha’ fer a lil time, least af’course ye’r ‘ungry.~ Van did not include himself in that statement. He learned to never complain. Though undecided, he was thankful that Blue had at least approved of his first offer. It would seem that he needed to council her on the rest of their destination. ~Loa’s a places aroun’, zews, restauran’s, garment sellas, parks-~ The man naturally would continue until the map suddenly disappeared from his grasp and he found himself snatched along a sprint. ~’elp?~

Blue tugged him along after snatching the map out of his hand and grasping him as she dragged him down the street at a considerable speed. "Park," she decided for them as she quickly walked in the direction of the nearest park. She had not been to a park in years so she could not deny that she was -slightly- excited about the prospect of visiting one again. She knew Van had promised to perhaps give her a park once they were able to settle down again but that was possibly in the far future and this opportunity was in the present and one that she would not allow to simply slip by. It was an activity she would actually enjoy doing as she directed them down the street and looked up as she noticed the first signs of its appearance. She paused though only a few yards from their destination when she noticed there were people. A lot of people. And tents and ferris wheels and other rides. Blue stared in perplexion as there appeared to be a carnival close to the park but she could see the small figures running around to state that the park itself was not overrun by the carnival, perhaps set up in celebration of the event. But they would have to travel through the carnival to get to the park, the carnival was in their path. Blue, though, appeared apprehensive at the idea of traveling through the bustling crowd in order to reach their destination as she hesitated and simply observed the activity for a few moments before she overcame her unease and eventually began to lead him inside and began to navigate them through the people and obstacles. The park was her interest. Not the carnival.

Van had to shift his legs awkwardly during some of the hastey steps inorder not to fall. Never the less, he supposed that it was a wise choice,seeing as Blue may have been forbidden from such an occassion. He stood now to his full hieght when it was evident that they had reached their destination. Though, a particular sign which may have dismayed most stood in their paths. 'No entry' It read clearly, though not clear enough to stop Van. He wasn't going to stop for some measly old paint job they needed to do. No one cared about it. Niether did he, and he emphasized so when he climbed the high fences and offered Blue a hand, winking.

The park was suprisingly vacant but it could just be because of the carnival adjacent to it that could be drawing most of the potential visitors. Most people were drawn to the activities and rides the carnival offered, as well as the sweets and delights. Blue could hear the faint screams of people on thrilling rides in the background but her attention was on the fence that stood between them and the park. It was closed off? That was another reason why there was no people. This certainly dismayed her even if she did not express it in anything but her silence as he stared at the sign before blinking as she noticed Van scaling the high fence. She stared up at him in perplexion before her expression softened and she reached up to take the offered hand so that they could jump over the fence and access the park. Her mood lightened once more once they were over and into the park as she glanced around in quick observation before she stepped forward and began to make her way into the tranquil park.

Van too began to draw his own meek expression when his being began to absorb the tranquility and peace evident in the silence. Nature kept the trespassers companies, some birds Van could name and puddle just across from the swing Van knew Blue was made sure she would find. His fingers coiled around her own in encouragement, tugging towards the isolated suspended seats before eventually seating her, though not before he drew himself to his knees before her and rested his crossed arms over her laps, grinning softly as he studied her. It was a playful form of suspense, almost teasing.

Blue welcomed the serenity that the silence brought. The vacancy was appealing as she preferred the park being empty aside from the two, even if they were trespassers. They were doing no harm against any life or property. She let her eyes wander across the vicinity, absorbing the sights and the objects in her view and drinking in the sounds of nature that accompanied them on their ventures. Blue then glanced up at Van as she felt his fingers coil around her own to draw her attention and she would allow him to guide her toward the suspended seats she had been looking forward to before he coaxed her to sit in one. She blinked though when he positioned himself before her and would rest his arms over her lap, staring down at him in question on his motives or goals in this action. "What is it?" She inquired, wondering what he found so amusing as he studied her at his angle, her eyes blinking in confusion while she reached up to brush back a silver lock of hair behind her ear. He was, of course, in her path of actually using the swing as long as he remained situated where he was but she remained patient.

~A could stare at ye fereva.' He submitted at that moment, smiling lightly. Van indirectly believed to some extent that they would hardly ever reserve the time to be alone, and hence decided to take whatever time they would be given to cherish. It may have been a struggle to get Blue to understand the meaning of affection, but he didn't mind it. She may have been the only individual whom was - significant enough to tolerate his form of existance, and perhaps that worked in vice versa as well. His arms retreated to take hold of the swing beneath her, waiting silently for Blue to instinctively grasp for her supports before he took a few steps, though not before he sneaked his motive into action, kissing her over the lips for dear temporary precious moments and it was bloody worth it. His feet instinctively guided him to the side just as he let go, of lips and steely support, grinning lightly as he watched her swing.

Blue blinked at his confession before recalling he said a similiar metaphor back in the small village close to Thornsteel Fields and submitted to that the words held affection to them even if such adoration still did not immediately reach her through words. A more effective means of allowing her to understand what he felt was through touch, which he did not allow the chance to pass by to demostrate after he had lifted her seat slightly and then leaned in to kiss her briefly. The warmth of his touch and lips had a much more profound effect on her than his words did as her lips impulsively parted slightly to respond to him after her eyes had fallen closed. But she was unable to before he released her, feeling her weight draw the swing backwards before gravity brought it down to earth and momentum brought it forward. She swung quietly as she looked to him and noticed the grin on his face, perhaps from accomplishing from stealing yet another kiss from her. Though this time she did not appear upset like she had the first time he had caught her by surprise, and continued to gaze at him silently with a particular expression in her eyes as she swung. The expression was intense but - filled with anguish and longing at the same time. But her countenance soon softened as a subtle smile crossed her face as she brought her eyes forward and focused her attention to her increasing elevation as she gained a steady speed to her swinging. Her worries and concerns ebbed into the wind that whispered around her as her optics drew downward to watch the ground speed by beneath her grazing feet. She relished the moment as her world calmed and steadied itself once more with Van standing right beside her.

Van would lean himself against the poles that suspended the swing quietly, his own countenance blessed with a meek expression as he felt he could almost reach her through the silence. And as she thrived in altitude, his spirit thrived with her. Then like a yawn came that formidable, appreciated sense of peace again, though accompanied by some measure of longing. Some - significant need for expression. He quietly looked at her when she allowed herself to be absorbed by the momentum, lowering himself to a seat before crossing his arms quietly as he contemplated. "Blew." He called silently, his finger brushing over the inner veins of a leaf. His voice ushered, though he didn't seem surprised. "If it's naw' tew much A'd like ta trim ye'r hair."

Blue allowed the gentle thrill of the momentum to encompass her as she retained her steady cadenence, not too fast nor too slow. Simply, steady and consistent. She purposely allowed the end of her feet to graze the ground each time gravity pulled her back down, drawing up small clouds of dirt each time she did but nothing that rose more than an inch or two above the ground. In the tranquil silence, in the vacancy of discriminating and judgmental eyes, accompanied only by the accepting eyes, Blue appeared to lower her defenses and open herself without any insistence to protect herself. It was rare that she could relax, the entirety of her life filled with dangers and threats at every corner that spoke caution to her and advised her to never let her guard down. Never. But there was no threat here, none that she could sense. And so, she let herself free, if only slightly. Her attention was soon drawn to him as the silence was gently parted by his voice and she tucked her legs beneath her seat in order to allow friction to slow her velocity. "That is acceptable to me," she responded as the swing began to slow now that she was no longer producing any momentum to keep it moving before her eyes scanned the vicinity briefly to confirm there was no one to interrupt them.

he was inclined to smile at that notion of freedom, remaining there for a moment as silent as a gleeful child reluctant to express its gratitude before he looked up at her, noting her observing nature. "Back at da 'otel, luv. A'd use betta tewls dat away." He said, bringing himself to a stand. "Bu' anly when ye've had 'nuff. Take ye'r time."

Blue looked back to him as he insisted that he would trim her hair once they returned to the hotel but that had not been the reason why she had scanned for any other trespassers. She simply did not want the moment to be interrupted but she nodded as he urged her to take her time to enjoy their present tranquility and she would for some time. But eventually, it became dark and she finally submitted to relinquishing her swing. They would begin their venture back to the hotel while the town was still active despite the deplinishing sunlight. But as Van would continue, he would soon take note that Blue had stopped following. She had halted in front of a candy store, the light pouring through the window illuminating the expression of wonder on her face as she had placed her hands on the window as she peered inside. Something inside had caught her attention as she could see smiling people inside, children and couples alike. She watched curiously at their activity, at all the candy shaped hearts, balloons, and trinkets inside. Perhaps influenced by Valentine's Day but that was not the center of her attention. She was staring at a small child that was staring back at her. He was holding what appeared to be cotton candy as he stared at her quietly and bit into the soft, pink substance to tear out a piece. Blue blinked in perplexion before she glanced to Van and pointed at the boy. "Why is that boy eating cotton?" Blue questioned. She thought cotton was used to make clothes, not food.

Van would blink when he realized the sudden vacany in the atmosphere that Blue had once occupied, looking over his shoulder quietly before pacing back to her side. He didn't really understand what she was looking at, until his steps got him closer. "O." He emitted at the sight of her beholding the various collections that were reserved from the children. Now he knew what kept them away from recreation at the park. In Arkin, they had a term for children of that sort. Toothlings. He submit in the back of his mind that he was inclined to touch one of the items, though was soon distracted by the moment when Blue questioned him. Cotton? van blinked, peering to the side before realizing what she was aiming at, nearly chuckling though thinking twice about ridiculing her curiosity. The poor lass. "A'll 'ave a roun' of dat, chap." Van called to the keeper. He nodded, inserting the stick into the machine before strands of the cotton candy swirled themselves around the host. The price was pathetic, demanding change Van knew he'd never use. "Troy'et." Van remarked, winking at Blue as he held it out. "Jus' do'et."

Blue stared at him quietly as she waited for him to acknowledge her question as she canted her head slightly. She thought she had seen a brief expression of humor at her naivity but she could not be certain since Van quickly caught himself before he ridiculed her. There were still many things Blue had not experienced. Her life had been filled with blood and violence, the majority of her innocence stripped from her, and her world limited. She learned, yes, but there were certain subjects and notions that books and lectures could not teach. Her father had given her eyes to cherish the world yet The Leaders had blinded her to its beauty. Her father had given her a life to live to the fullest yet she had been held down and restrained. Now that she had freedom, it was like she did not know how to use it accordingly. How could she use something she had not had before? When one knew of only one thing, it became normal even if it was abnormal. She did not explore. She did not discover. She simply obeyed like the good weapon she was. She was just beginning to take the tentatives steps to act out on her own free will; one step having gone to school. Perhaps one could say she had begun this three years ago but she had been influenced by Van. With The Leaders lost, she had looked to Van for guidance. She was unpredictable but she obeyed like she had been trained to do. Blue watched with silent anticipation as Van ordered some of the substance for her. She glanced to him to him for reassurance which he was more than happy to oblige as he urged her to try it as she reached out to take the stick with the cotton candy on it. She stared at it for a moment in curiosity but eventually tore off a small piece with her fingers and brought it to her mouth. She had expected a soft texture but soon the substance liquified in her mouth and graced her with the sweet flavor. Her expression softened in approval before she glanced to Van. "It tastes good," she admitted with a subtle smile.

""Mel's fasta' den ice cube on a fryin' pan." Van expressed subltly, as he momentarily brought his hand over her shoulder, bringing her to walk beside him. "Speakin' of meltin' on ye'r ton', A thin' A'm startin' ta miss wata mellon. Grown in summa, tastes like sugary winta an' bes' served cold." He grinned for a bet, finding that brainstorming of a metaphor was rather true. "Bah', A miss alotta thin's A used ta grow in da fiel'." Van crossed his arms over at the back of his neck. "So wha' do ye miss, Blew? Doesn' haveta bi fewd eitha'."

Blue glanced to Van curiously as she proceeded to eat the pink delight at a moderate pace to relish the sweet flavor and unique texture of the dessert while they began to walk once more. She listened as he began to reminsice and speak about how he yearned for fresh-grown watermelon. She blinked but remained silent as he described the experience of eating one before issuing a sound of frustration and admitting that he missed a lot of the foods that he use to grow in the fields back when he was younger. Blue's silence did not waver even as he asked the question, but the air of contemplation did come to settle over her as she thought about an answer. "I miss not having emotions," she stated bluntly before she tore off another small piece of the cotton candy with her teeth

Surely, Van was disturbed by the answer, but he also knew that if he had appreciated her sincerety and hence chose a more stoic form of reception. He smiled quietly. "Ya can blame tha' on me, luv." He replied, selflessly. "Maybe A spoiled ya big tame, afta' all." He wondered what would be her reaction once he stated the evident. One thing was for sure, he knew he had to be gentle with her. Now that he recounted, years of suprression and acceptance to his values proved it.

Blue would pause abruptly at his response and waited for Van to take notice of her falling behind as he continued forward only to greet him with a stare once he turned back to her. "Why do you do that?" Blue asked. "Why do you take all of the burden?" She clarified. She noticed that Van rarely ever blamed her. It was always him. Always about him. With The Leaders, if she did something wrong, she was chastised and reprimanded. Never once was it their faults. Never. But here, was she to take no responsibility? In fact, it was neither of their faults. If she recalled correctly, Hictor had been the one who had unlocked her memories which had held the key to her emotions. She had not began to experience these uncertainties until after that event, after she had blacked out and awoken to Van beside her. He had always been there. Always to take away the blame and endure the consequences of her actions, even if it was not his own fault. It was illogical. Why did he purposely make her a burden?

It wouldn't take him long to notice that. He peered to the side with eyes scanning Blue over his shoulder, his lips hinting that he still maintained that smile regardless. In his heart, he knew he'd never be able to answer that. There were certain things that would be hard to put into perspective; never the less, he tried, though only when he walked back and stroked her nose with a quick finger in affection. "Because A'm foolish." He submitted. "Maybe in ye'r perspective, a'leas'." His eyes shifted skyward, his hand venturing to her abdominal side, fingers declicately stroking at something he deemed a memorial beneath those garments. "Ya took a bullet fer me." he remarked. "An' A love ya. A don' think any otha' reason. Ye migh' jus bi da only thin' A've gaw' left. Ye'r da only person A can smile tew whenever A come out of a struggle. A mean -" Van faultered there as a thought sprang, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Wha' kin' of a hero can a man bi, if der's no 'ne in da outside waitin' ta acknowledge his deed. Wha' kin' of a lonely bas'ard A'll end up bein' if A don' give fer anotha'."

Blue was silent as she observed Van intently, remain keen to any subtle changes in his body language or any words that would give away any hints that he was being anything but honest. She watched as he approached her before blinking as he stroked her nose quickly in an affectionate gesture and gave her the answer that she was already considering. She had always known Van to be a fool. A kind, considerate fool with boundless compassion that she wondered where he held it all or where it all came from. She listened intently while she felt his hand settle at her side which had once been penetrated by a bullet that had struck her when she had pushed Van out of harm's way. She was quiet as she considered his words and tried to comprehend them as she brought a hand to her chin. Loneliness? Love? Loneliness was a concept she had learned quickly after becoming attached to Van. Love was a different story. "I see," Blue stated simply before she glanced to the half-eaten cotton candy and then to the happy couple that passed by on the other side of the street. She was silent as she recalled something before she looked back to Van. "Will you go on ahead without me?" She inquired. "I want to go purchase something before I head back to the inn. You can get your tools ready while I'm away."

Van blinked, silently measuring her with a stare as he wondered if there was anything about what he said that upset her. But then, he surrendered to the idea of having to trust her independence sometimes. She wanted to purchase something? Possibly clothing. He shrugged behind a faint smile. "Shaw." He ushered, before placing his hands into his pocket. "Try naw' ta bi late, wouldja? Else, A'll star' thinkin' ya ditched me fer anotha' man." He smirked, before winking, indicating sarcasm as he waved over his shoulder when he turned.

Blue relaxed once he gave her permission to do a task on her own, on the condition that she did not return late. She blinked when he brought up the possibility that she would abandon him for another man. She quirked a brow. Well, there was Farfarello... but she would not reveal that to him as he gave her a wink before turning and heading to the inn without her. She had already decided that she would remain with Van despite Farfarello's re-appearance as she began to walk in the opposite direction, crossing the street and peering into shop windows to try to identify what she desired to purchase as she began to finish her cotton candy. She watched people either selling or carrying away roses and other items of affection to their significant other as the night was still young and still gave plenty of opportunity to purchase an item for their loved ones. It brought her attention back to the rose that had been given to her earlier as she reached into her back pocket to extract it and study the plant.

A rose... That's not what she wanted. She had to stop abruptly in her tracks when a man stepped out in front of her with a large grin on his face. "You look like you're looking for something." The man announced which Blue would blink. How did he know? She eyed him suspiciously and the man quickly pledged innocence as he waved his hands in front of himself. "I'm simply here to help you pick out the right item! Did you want something for yourself? Or maybe a 'friend'?" The suggestion perked Blue's interest and the man grasped at the opportunity to lead her into the store right next to them. "I'm sure I can help pick the right choice for whichever purpose!" About an hour later, Blue had stepped out of the store and was heading back to the inn with a paper bag filled with the item she had purchased. Well... this had NOT been what she had been looking for. But the man had reassured her that it was a good choice, and would make any male friend happy. Van was a male. She wondered if he would like it as she peered into the bag. Van seemed to appreciate when she went out of her way for him so she hoped it would make him happy. It wasn't long before she stepped into their room and looked around for him. "I'm back."

Steam was evident in the air or what remained of it. In a dim light across the soft cushons of red carpet, right before the curtains animated a shadow twitching. Its hand reaching for the light next to it, turning something that increased its brightness. "Oy Blew." Van spoke in a low voice above a whisper, absorbed in his couch, almost melting in it in white robes. "A donno 'bout ye, but A could spend da res' of da nigh' jus' sittin'ere. Bloody shower, haven' had a decent 'ane in ages." He brought a hand to wipe at his face. "So, ya foun' wha' ye'r lookin faw'?

Blue blinked and peered through the steam that occupied the air, limiting her visibility. Where had all the steam come from? "Van?" She asked lightly, curious if he was even around as her eyes began to narrow once she noticed a shadow that accompanied her in the room. But she soon relaxed as Van's voice greeted her and she soon found out the derivation of the steam as she stared at him quietly. "Aye. Something eatible and something to wear," she announced while she held the brown paper bag. "Are you going to trim my hair?" She asked curiously since he had spoken his interest of doing so earlier in the park. "Or are you going to continue to relax there? If so, I can show you what I got."

"Well, A'd still ask ya ta showa' before den. Makes thin's easia'." He said, extending his fingers to stretch them before cracking them into a fists. He then crossed his arms over his shoulders, tilting his head. "Bu' knowin how much of a curious bas'ard A'd bi, A'd lie ta ye if I tol' ya A'd look at it lata. So aye, lemme take a look."

She nodded as he told her about taking a shower before he would trim her hair before he admitted that he was curious of the items she had purchased. She considered showing him but now that he brought up the concept of a shower, she decided to wait a little longer. "Not yet. I want to take a shower first." She stated. And! Just to make sure he didn't go peeking into the bag and ruining the surprise, she decided to take the paper bag with her into the bathroom. "I'll show you when I get out," she announced before she shut the door behind herself and the audible click of the lock was heard.

van blinked as he heard the door shut. "Shi'" He said in a low voice above a whisper. "Should've shut me self up." He sighed, before his eyes fell over the contents of a cabinet, already able to guess what they were before they could open them. Tempting - but he knew those weren't just there for free. He made a mental note to tell Blue later on, if it was neccessary.

The shower was refreshing and allowed Blue to relax more. It also prepared her hair for him once he was ready to trim it. She had accumulated split ends and damages to it since she had allowed it grow but had not trimmed it regularly. She brushed her hair out and pushed her bangs out of her face before she got dressed and then opened the door slightly to peek her head out. "Close your eyes," she demanded as she held one of the items she had gotten for him. "It's a surprise," she decided to clarify and she would not show him or give him his gift until he obliged to her demands.

Van - now in his leggings and unbuttoned shirt with a bare chest blinked from the corner. What the hell was she upto? Oh well. "Fine." He spoke.

If he was wise, he wouldn't dare peek unless he wanted to be thrust right through the wall behind him and into another unsuspecting person's room. Once she felt confident that he was no longer looking, she stepped out of the bathroom and closed the door before she approached him. She held the small box up to her chest and peered up at him to see if he was peeking or not before she spoke. "Okay. You can open your eyes now." Blue announced. Blue repeated what the man at the store had told her to say and do in order to make the experience more enjoyable for her friend while she stood in front of Van. In her hands, Blue held a heart-shaped chocolate-filled candy box, wrapped in red plastic. A golden ribbon wrapped around the heart diagnoly and on it it said 'Be Mine' in cursive letters. She did not think a rose would have been appropriate, or a plush animal. What was he to do with either? At least he could eat the chocolate. But that was only the first part of his gift. The second part she wore. Blue's shoulders were bare, as was the majority of her body. She wore what appeared to be white-furred lingerie. A feline tail was attached to the bottom part of it and a set of white cat ears was placed on her head. She was dressed as a neko, delivering chocolate candy in a heart-shaped box for him. She offered the box to him as she looked up at him innocently enough, despite her provocative attire, and spoke the words the man had told her to say. "Meow~, Happy Valentine's Day." She did not smile and perhaps that's why she looked slightly awkward as she looked to him quietly to see if he liked the gift like the man had reassured her he would or if he did not. Either or, she wanted to buy something for Van as he had for her. What lonely existance would it be if she didn't give to another, like he had said? And it was V-Day, after all. So the gift seemed appropriate to her,

Van conjured jeans or a leather jacket as the two possible customary things to wear, either were good for a gift. She said she brought him something to wear anyway, though he wondered why the bag wasn't packed - unless ofcourse it were - never mind about that. She was too innocent to even know those things existed. But then - Van opened his eyes, and they weren't the only eyes to open as several of those popped like bubbles off his chest and throat, indicating that Furiyen did the same - only that the dormant spirit did not reserve the same jaw that had expanded so much of Van's face that if it didn't reserve any joint, it would have hit the floor. One eye twitching to express astonishment.

Blue watched his reaction intently. It was disheartening. She saw no smile, not even a laugh. She simply saw eyes staring at her and she felt herself waver at the percieved rejection. "You do not like it," she whispered as she retracted her gift and held it against her chest. One could almost literally see her cat ears drooping as if to emphasize her dismay as she lowered her head in disappointment. The man had lied to her. Van did not approve. She clutched the box tighter as her long bangs fell across her face and hid her darkening expression as she thought quickly on what to do while she took one step backwards. The man had lied and she could feel anger and animosity boil within her chest.

"Lak heeeeeeeeeeeelll A don'!" Van's tone of the contrary was sincerely emphasized to the point where it could not be measured just how fast his feet were when he brought himself over her, though he realized for a split second what had dawned. "Are ye bloody kiddin' me?!" He exclaimed, hands fastening her shoulders with liberty. "A neva knew ya had it in ya! Ye'r cuter den cute! Fer cripe sakes, ya jus' made ma night." "She's so adorable, I'd cry." "SHAW UP FURY!" The eyes retreated. Van would take a deep take deep breathe, his hands taking hold of each of Blue's cheeks before he smiled at her with affection. "A love it."

Blue nearly jumped in surprise when Van rushed to her and exclaimed loudly that he did, indeed, approve of her gift. She stared at him as he continued before she heard Fury's own opinion of her gift. Warm blossomed across her cheeks while Van reprimanded Fury and caused the eyes to retreat back into his body before Van held her face and smiled to her. Her expression softened timidly as she was reassured and any malicious thoughts and intents that she had been having towards the man that had insisted that Van would like the gift. Lucky for him that he ended up not being a vile liar. "Really?" She asked tentatively to make certain he was not simply pretending to approve just to soothe her feelings but then again, Van was usually honest when he declared something. She had never known him to be a liar. Not like she only had one opinion, Fury seemed to like it as well and this brought a subtle smile from the reassurance.

"Aye, really." Van spoke again softly, his expression softening as he leaned in to produce that particular touch he had given Blue twice before, his fingers carressing her hair strands, tracing them along the end.

Blue would smile gently at the confirmation before she noticed him leaning in toward her. She closed her eyes this time to welcome the gentle touch of affection she knew was approaching, while she continued to hold the heart-shaped box against her chest until Van found it appropriate to recieve the gift. She was content that he was content, and that he appreciated her efforts to make him happy. If her tail was actually animate, it would be expressing her delight right about now and the warmth that bloomed in her chest. She supposed she did not have to kill the vendor now that he was found innocent of any crimes against her. Though she still had something else for Van that was eatible, aside from the chocolate, that she would show him once she had the chance.

He would linger there for a moment before his lips would snap back as he drew his head away, sighing lightly. "Merow, doll." He winked lightly. "Dis tiga' bi pleased." Van would have stalled for more words, only to realize ofcourse that Blue wasn't acustomed to such ways. So he left at that. "Say, wha's dat ye've got on ya?" He pointed at the gift.

She would open her eyes after he drew away and ushered a content sigh. She listened to him as she continued to smile gently. Tiger? He did not have a tiger outfit but she allowed it to slide since he seemed content enough and that was all that mattered to her. Attention was then brought to the box that she had in her hands as she lowered her eyes to it, as if she had forgotten she had had it before she offered to him once more. "They said it had chocolate in it. I at least hoped you liked chocolate," she stated softly. She waited for him to take the offer before she glanced to him. "I did have one more thing that I was not planning to actually give to you since I damaged it and had to buy it from the store but I can show you anyways, I suppose." She would leave him there to retrieve the paper bag from the bathroom and returned with it. She reached inside to remove the remaining contents and presented to him what appeared to be panties. But it was made out of sugar beads, and resembled strings of a candy necklace. "I remember you took one of my bra's before so I decided to try to get you a bra when I noticed they were edible. But they were a set, and it came with panties. But I ended up eating the bra..." She glanced away in shame. "So I had to buy it and all I have now is the panties. Sorry..."

Fingers would lift the presented the item with humble acceptance while a meek face reluctantly averted, chuckling softly as the hands worked to break a piece of the chain. Soon, it would disappear within a slow and savoring process of crunches resonating from the sways and quiet grinding os his jaws. "Brillian'." He commented, before setting the remains in the paper bags. "A'll count dat hair cut of ye'r's as punishment." He winked.

"I thought me having to pay was punishment for damaging the product," she reminded him but noticed the gesture of reassurance that he was merely jesting and relaxed. "So do you want me to sit somewhere specific for the hair cut?" She asked curiously, content that Van had also taken her damaged gift and had eaten most of it which made her content. Her hair was still moist, fresh from the shower, and clung to her neck and face as she pushed her bangs out of her face and tucked her hair behind her ears. She was well due for a trim to make her hair appear more appropriate. She needed to get rid of the damage and the split ends. She assumed Van knew what he was doing and would not make her hair a disaster. But then again if he did, she could always crop it as short as it had been before.

Van would however proved to be crafty, well, perhaps careful with his work. Blue would find herself seated before the dresser with a bath robe draping over her to bar the hair strands from sinking into - well - whatever she had left of garments. He took careful holds of the woman's hair, scissoring through the ends that sticked out from between the fingers, before coming the hair back and fourth with his palm, repeating the same process, time and time again, occassionaly tilting her head. Batting the scissors against the comb, Van paused for a moment, looking down at her shoulders before the skin lightly as he noted something. "A neva asked ya where those sca's came frem." He said, proceeding to trim a little oof her hair from the side.

Blue remained as still and obedient as possible to allow Van the opportunity to work without any interference or obstacles to hinder him. She folded her hands in her lap while she sat in front of the dresser, looking at herself in the mirror in front of her as she watched curiously as he worked. He did appear to know what he was doing and she wondered when he had acquired the ability to cut hair. Van did seem to be quite versatile at times and perhaps he needed to since he did travel around a lot and needed to know life skills in order to survive on his own. She looked to him through the mirror as he posed the question to her before she gazed at herself once more. The scars were in a place she could not reach to suggest that they were not self-inflicted so she could not have done it with her own hands. "A bad man did it to me," she stated calmly, as if it did not bother her anymore. It had, then, when she was a small child. But she was not a child anymore.

"Well." His voice ushered through the snips and snaps as he spoke. "Wha' appened?"

"It was when I was still a child. I assume I felt pain back then since it was done as a form of punishment. A man use to take me into his office when I misbehaved. I had a device on me to prohibit me from using any of my powers against him. His wall was decorated with human bones and parts as trophies and his desk was no different. It had leather on it that I recall was human flesh. He use to strip me down and bend me over it while he either got a whip or thick sticks to punish me. I use to bite into the leather despite how much it disgusted me because that was the only thing I could bite down on to endure the pain. Usually I passed out and awoke in my quarters. Took me weeks to heal from broken bones or wounds. I hated him," she announced calmly. "He was a bad man and did many bad things to me. Many many bad things in his office," she stated as she recollected the memories.

Snips and snaps continued to follow the silence that befell the atmosphere when the gruesome truths were revealed, ones that Van did not relish to hear. And from that alone, Van knew that he was less then anywhere half near of really knowing what Blue had suffered. The poor woman. . . His face turned timid as he knew that the question did not leave her thoughtless. He knew that probably was dwelling on it. As time churned, Van would eventually lower his tools upon the dresser before proceeding to stand behind Blue, once again, taking in the full view of the scars.. That monster. But then, he dismissed dismay, since he knew Blue was likely to pick it up with her senses. His head lowered, his lips touched them, before his eyes raised to level with Blue's own.

Blue was fell into the silence that had draped over them after she had revealed all but a part of the story that the scars of her back had to tell as she reminisced back to those times. He had indeed been an evil, sadistic man. She had hated being in his presences, being near him, and having him touch her the way he did. But what she had hated the most was that he had been no different to her own mother. Blue was silent but her eyes wandered to stare at him through the mirror as the silence was unusual, at least from him. She wanted to know why and was tempted to touch into the surface of his thoughts but instead simply established a connection. *It's okay,* she reassured. *At least he never tried to purposely kill me. The Leaders would have made him disappear if he had damaged me in any way that would have hindered my development and training. They have no use for a damaged weapon.* She thought across to him while they looked at one another through the mirror while she idely brought her hand to her chest where another scar lied. It was the only one she actually had mixed feelings for. She wasn't sure if she should be ashamed of it or not. Not because it had been an act against God. And perhaps yes because her parents would have reprimaded her for it

"Sum tames, A wish A shared ye'r opitimism." He submitted at that, perhaps finding it unfair that she had taken it so lightly upon herself. But really - would it have mattered even if she saw it in his perspective? "Ya tend ta look at da brigh' sides o' thin's with sucn an usual ferm of perspective. Well -" He paused for a moment. "s'ppose it won' eva mean sense ta recall a past we'd wan' burried." He sighed, and from Blue's quizical glance did he understand that he did not exactly make his point. "A'm jus' sayin - A'd like ta help ya carry ye'r pain..Maybe heal'it in tame." He emphasized this when his hand hovered her own, pressing against it, applying reassuring pressure to the core of her chest "A'm ye'rs Blew..Always have bin. "

Blue canted her head in perplexion while she listened to him. She did not understand why her past made him upset. It was her past. And it was just that, in the past. Why expend unnessary energy on it by mourning over it? There was nothing she could do about it now. All she could do was make the best of what she possessed now. She listened to him quiely as he spoke about desiring to carry the pain that she had harbored and then aid her in her healing. She gazed at him gently through the mirror while he settled his hand over her own in emphasis. His words and touch were reassuring while she turned her head to look at him. "You've already helped me more than you'll ever know, Van." She reassured. "And I know or you would have left me by now like everyone else. I still do not why you stay with me despite all the burden I put on you but perhaps I do not need to know anything else other than it makes me feel good when you are with me." She smiled softly. "At least, I think that's all that should matter."

A smile tugged at the man's lips before he took a step back towards the brim of the bed, allowing himself to fall to a seat while he absorbed the moment in affection. He would be thankful that she even allowed to come at such a closure. Hand still holding her, even from across this little distance, he simply squeezed. There were no words left, merely that endeepening sense of warmth that was indescribable, but altogether heartening.

Blue lowered their hands from her chest while she turned in her chair so that she could get a better look at him. He seemed content from the smile that danced upon her lips which was reassuring. She was slowly coming to realize what she felt, what emotions they were and that it was not wrong to acknowledge them. As easier as it had been when she did not have them at all and things were less complicated, it did feel... nice at times like these. "I'm selfish, aren't I?" She asked after a moment of contemplation though the notion did not seem to bother her at all. She knew she did not want to lose Van and that she was not willing to give him up to anyone. That she wanted him to remain with her despite any troubles she may cause to him. Unless he told her otherwise, she was not leaving his side. That made her selfish, didn't it? But she came to realize that she did not care as long as Van did not care either.

"A don' min'." The Barbarian Prince shrugged lightly. "A think A was a lil selfish me'self." Van would close his eyes for a moment, almost as if he were tired but that was not the case. There was something missing, something about what she said. Selfishness. "Ye'd probably hate me when A ask ya this." He presented. "Ya eva slept with a man befaw?"

Blue blinked as he brought up the possibility that she would despise him for asking a question. She did not know what kind of question he could ask that would make her despise him but she waited patiently until he posed it. That was it?? "Yes," she responded calmly and confidentally. "I slept with at least my father before, I believe," she stated softly as she recollected memories. They were faint and obscured but she was pretty certain that even if she did not have those memories, that she had at least slept with her parents as a child.

"Bah! A din' mean tha'!" Van raised a hand to his face as Blue's accident and misunderstanding brought disturbing images he did NOT want to think about. He made sure Blue wasn't reading them either. He sighed. There was no point to this. He had to be literal. "Sexual inta'course." He spoke blatantly. "Bed ritual, love ritual, wha'eva ya wanna call it."

Blue blinked at his outburst while she watched him with a quizzical expression. She did not understand what he was trying to put across as she canted her head in perplexion before he became more specific. "Oh," she stated and went silent for a moment as she contemplated. "Not that I can recall." She stated. "I do believe I still retain the virginity of my womanhood." She said lightly before eyeing him curiously. "Why?" She asked. She did not understand why this held any significance to him.

"Well, les' jus' say it' mattas ta me." Maybe now wasn't the bloody time. He wasn't really sure. One, she was a virgin, and two. - well, she was unpredictable. Anything that upsert her made him fly through the roof. This time, Van would wager that he'd end up at the North - with Blue's signficant ticket.

Blue blinked. "Okay. I thought it only mattered in religion." She stated as she regarded him quietly. Van did not seem like a religious person and she preferred it that way due to her opinion toward the Almighty. She could not grasp what reason could make her virginity significant to him but she did not press the subject since he believed his answer was sufficient. "Perhaps we should retire for the night," she finally suggested. "It is getting late." She stated as she gave a brief glance toward the window where it was apparant evening had settled in hours ago but she could not put her finger on the actual current time. She simply assumed that perhaps it was about time to head to bed so that they could awaken early the next morning and plan their next course of action. "Thank you - for the hair cut." She said softly, releasing his hand so that she could stand and claim her side of the bed. She had removed the bath robe by now since it had her hair on it and decided to clean up the mess in the morning as she tucked herself under the covers. She had not removed the 'gift' she had gotten for him because she did not see it as necessary. Her clothes were being washed, anyways.

"Waitago, Hienkel." Van muttered under his breathe, sliding himself under the covers. Yep. This wasn't the bloody time. Idiot.

[Finally! Caught up for now but knowing Van, we still wont' be posting on the forums yet so expect more to come. ^^ ]