cursed

The sentiment she followed with was one he could understand — as much as he missed everyone from home, pulling them into the line of fire to ease his loneliness would be more selfish. Just as many days passed without issue, there were those tests, and being ordinary teenagers, they would be at great risk.

The corners of his lips twitched upwards, revealing a sharp smile as he made sure his eyes were not deceiving him. He had heard that she too lived in the neighbourhood, but seeing The Knave in the flesh was both an irritating and exhilarating feeling. For one, the Doctor detested her for annulling the agreement he held with Crucabena, hindering part of his research immensely, but he also held a lot of curiosity in the way she ran the House of the Hearth. Meeting her “children” here too had been such a pleasure.

His truce with the magician would not be extended to her, of that he was aware, but the young man's loyalty and attachment to his “Father” was strong enough that it could be useful eventually.

“My, my, if it isn’t my dear colleague,” the harbinger mused, hands folded behind his back as he approached his former comrade and current neighbour, “what an utmost pleasure it is to see you here. Beautiful weather we’re having, isn’t it? Ah, how very rude of me, you must’ve thought you’ve seen the last of me in Nod-Krai already. Pardon me to disappoint you.”

now he stands before her again, annoying as ever in his casual attitude for all the atrocities he has committed. granted, every harbinger had their crimes, but him? he is the worst of them all. "what purpose is there in approaching me? didn't the events in Nod-Krai make it clear that you overstepped your role and outstayed your welcome?" and one far beyond what could be deemed acceptable. full of arrogance, to be more than he truly deserves.

until the sound of one entering the room rouses her awake, causing her to lift her head briefly, one hand shifting to rub her tired eyes. ❝ Oh. You've returned, ❞ she notes, sleepiness laden on her tongue as she turns to face her friend.

❝ I didn't wish to stay in my assigned room. So... I came where there is someone familiar instead. ❞ would that explanation suffice? or perhaps it was wrong of her, much like when she presumed she had to call the other father as the children of the hearth.

"yes, I can see that." then again, it's always been this way. Columbina had a habit of showing up out of the blue, whether invited or otherwise. "and how, exactly, did you find out where I was?" she can only guess the traveler must have mentioned it, if not Paimon. or perhaps another harbinger. there's hardly anyone else who could direct the other here, not when she has made sure to keep to herself as much as possible during her stay.

Freminet’s normally expressionless face is adorned with a small smile — he is excited to see her. He wants to hug her, but he knows Father generally frowns upon such public displays of emotion and weakness. He hugs Pers tighter to his chest instead.

“I’m afraid my combat abilities... have been significantly handicapped... I might not be able to go on the same type of missions you usually give me.” He reports to her.

He misses his family, but even one member (besides Pers) being here makes his heart feel lighter. Freminet wonders if they can still be a family with only the two of them; if that family still counted as a home in a world where there is no House of the Hearth. But at least Father is here. The Father who saved his life and whom he’d follow anywhere — apparently even here.

“...But maybe... I could still be useful to you. My diving and mechanical skills are unaffected...”

Alecchino always encouraged them to stand on their own feet and be their own people, but that is a lot more difficult for Freminet than simply following orders.

or maybe she should simply give him a nudge in that direction, some small reassurance that while he may still call her father, he doesn't need to be so formal in strange lands, far away from home. so, she holds out a hand, encouraging him to come closer.

Whether or not she was aware that the separation from the children didn't equate an absence, their special day had come and she could not share it with them. It must eat at her, as the older in the relationship — from a parent's perspective, it must have been even more painful, particularly if she believed them to be growing up without getting to witness it herself.

since the night it happened, she had taken a moment of each to gaze upon the moon.

the bitter fire burning in the pit of her stomach was not a new feeling, but this time, it had a source towards which it could concentrate. when Dunyarzad vanished, it had just been the Traveler's failure to resolve the immediate issue, and ultimately she was rescued. the same could be argued of Columbina — she was not physically pushed into the moon's shadow, but much farther out of reach did she fade. and like so many before her, it mattered not how hard Lumine tried to reach out, her fingers remained a chasm away.

how many times she'd tried and watched someone slip away was so frequent that she'd stop bothered counting. but wallowing would not rescue their friend, and the Knave would concentrate her flames onto the man onto whom blame would truly fall.

That, and he could use some help with Oliver after his incident, and maybe the Knave could be good here.

"Actually...yeah! That'd be good. Might get something cold, but that's just 'cause it's definitely not cold enough for me here yet." He falls into step next to her.