No matter what happens...

     ❝ I am glad, then, ❞ her answer simplistic at best, fingers curling tightly around the handle of the bag she had managed to salvage from tumbling to the ground. At his next comment, howsoever, she can only bring herself to smile gently in response. Blonde tresses sway as she shakes her head so, shifting so she can rummage through the clustered remains to retrieve what appears to be a partial wing, attached to a miniature statue of a glass person.

     The last thing the poor man wants is to encounter some sort of brat that would chew him out for his foolish accident... Yet even so, such a person would be welcomed if only for the reason that it would bring back some more pleasant memories for the raven. In a place like this, that’s so different from his home, there couldn’t possibly be any harm in losing himself to a more mirthful nostalgia, right?

     Upon seeing the ruins of the stranger’s delicate figurine, however, another pang of guilt is felt within the man’s heart. Honestly, this would had been much easier on himself if the person he encountered had been rude, but... Well, it seems his luck isn’t so fantastic today.

     Not that it ever has been.

    ❝ Ah... What a shame; it looks very beautiful, ❞ he manages to comment, eyebrows furrowing together as an expression of guilt contorts onto his features. He had never been one for figures and statues, but he certainly couldn’t deny that the broken, glass angel had some charm to it... For whatever reason.

     One bag slips from elfin digits as she steps backward, hearing the shatter of something glass within one of them. A minor loss in comparison to the man riled up in front of her over something she knew not. ❝ It is alright, ❞ the reply comes despite his lack of completing his own words. It is only obvious what he was trying to convey, at the very least.

     A hand extends down to shift through the fallen bag thereafter, careful not to slice her hand on what shards of glass might be there so she might gather what was salvageable. Lips part to exhale a gentle sigh; not of what the unfortunate stranger had caused, but only of the overall predicament that they were thrust into due to their poor luck.

     And no doubt it’s what will keep him awake.

     Regardless, he still has his manners (when he sees fit) and as a result he, too, bends down to help the woman pick up what she had dropped. As he reaches out, however, a hand touches her own and he jolts his own back, the red on his cheeks becoming an even deeper shade of red. Oh, will this day of embarrassment never end?!

     ❝ I’m f--... I’m fine. ❞ he finally manages an answer after clearing his throat, standing back up to his full height. For the time being, his eyes either remain shut or his golden gaze fervently avoids the blonde’s if only because he can’t look her in the eye after everything he’s done to her. Honestly, why did all this have to happen today...?

Yet, even he could slip through Vincent’s watchful gaze. Certainly Gilbert’s sudden appearance was unforeseen event on today’s schedule, it was by no means an unwelcome one. "And good morning to you too, Gil," the blond replied, a lighthearted chuckle following right behind it. Tactfully he plays Gil’s surprise off as a joke, subtle in his movements. "Ah, you mean here, don’t you? Well if you must know, I was prowling for my next victim. " The smile that play’s Vincent’s lips is hardly faux, but by no means is it completely genuine; straddling the line between a sibling’s tease, and oddly sinister. It was the best he could do, unfortunately.

"—That was a joke, Gil." Hopefully it would be seen as one. Despite being blood-siblings, it seemed even Gilbert was fazed by his dark sense of humor. "Really, I was simply taking a walk. It’s not that odd, is it now?" Probably, given his unfortunate habit of sleeping at the most inappropriate times. How kind for his brother to worry over the matter. Vincent follows his brother’s gaze to the board, taking note of the look his features formed.

"Yes, chess," he confirms the notion with a small nod. The initial question had been poised to someone else — anyone besides him, that is — Vincent had no intent of turning his brother away. If anything, this was better then tending (see: hopelessly humiliating) some fair-haired, doe-eyed stranger out of the blue for shits and giggles. "Ah, you mean the game’s we played as kids? Of course I remember." It was hard to forget. Whilst the game’s had been enjoyable, each one had resulted in Gil’s loss. Eventually they stopped playing because of that simple fact.

"E-Eh!?" a look of shock washes over his features, however, upon hearing the blond utter words that are perhaps darker sounding than intended. The look still remains even as the other reassures the raven that it had merely been a joke, for Gilbert doesn't doubt that Vincent had been looking for a victim of some kind... Perhaps to best them at chess or perhaps for something else entirely. He's pretty unsure about that...

Regardless, the male manages to lighten up once more as he silently exhales, straightening up again as his eyes of gold look at the blond once more, an eyebrow being raised as Vincent insists on his brother's participation. Of course, Gilbert's aware of how prodigy-like Vincent is, but...

Well, Gilbert's feeling a little more confident today, it seems. After all, it's been quite some time since their last match and he thinks he's learned quite a few things from their previous matches and the giant gap in time since the last time the duo played a match against each other. "Fine, fine," he finally responds, perhaps a look of mild angst contorting onto his expression. "Just one game though, alright? You know how long these matches can take..." or so he's heard. From what he remembers from the last time the two played together, Gilbert had been defeated rather quickly.... As humiliating as the thought itself is.

"Hm... I don't really recall us ever having any sort of 'rivalry', though," he utters as he seats himself across from his sibling, a thoughtful look washing onto his features. The thought of one's younger brother learning everything quicker than them and becoming better in some ways than the older sibling might be daunting to some, to Gilbert, he has never felt anything of the sort towards Vincent. In a way, he admires his genius and how he's able to pick up on things so quickly...

The journey back home certainly is a long one.

Or rather, it is these days. Never once did she particularly mind the walk from her apartment to school and back again, and why should it? The silver-haired teen is quite athletic and quite enjoys long walks herself… But perhaps lately she has taken note of just how long her trips back and forth are due to how recently she’s been walking someone else home after school.

It’s odd to think about, or at least, that’s what Seven believes, but she supposes in the end she doesn’t particularly mind; after all, the time she gets to spend with the blond male she has come to quite like throughout these past few months mean the world to her. For a moment whilst pondering this, Seven can’t help but stop in her tracks and wonder just when she became like…

Well, like a typical high school girl regarding these sorts of things.

"…." "… But I am a normal high school girl,” she mumbles quietly to herself, rubbing the back of her neck as she takes notice of someone walking by… Or rather, the wallet that seems to fall out of their pocket as they graze past the female. Quickly she bends over to pick up the object, taking note of the ID in the front pocket of it that is visible to her mauve hues. Normally she wouldn’t pay much mind to it, but she can’t help but almost stare in awe at the name given on the ID.

'Gilbert Nightray'.

Nightray… Nightray… That’s right; that’s Elliot’s surname, right? As if she would forget! Which means then that this person is… Well, she already has come up with the conclusion, but Seven realizes she needs to give this back before coming up with any more answers, so off she goes, sprinting up to the man clad in black and tapping his shoulder lightly to get his attention.

Thoughts such as what to make for dinner, what dirty clothes he needs to sort into his laundry pile, if he needs to tend to his garden (as shameful as it is),... Though, more important matters such as how his younger brothers are doing find themselves clouding the male's mind first and foremost, which perhaps causes him more grief than he would like to admit.

Those two... Yes, they always seem to have trouble following right behind them, don't they? As much as he cares for them and looks after them, it seems that mischief likes to weasel its way into their lives... And into his as well, much to his chagrin. With a sigh, the raven-haired male stops for a moment to reach into his coat pocket to reach for a cigarette when-- "--Ah?" his form turning as soon as his shoulder is tapped upon, his golden hues find themselves laying their sights upon a teenage girl with silver hair... And the most peculiar violet eyes. For a moment, he briefly wonders why on earth she wants to gain the attention of someone like he before his gaze drifts down to the hands of the girl and...

Ah, that's... His wallet? Oh, honestly, how could he have dropped something so important!? With an exasperated exhale, he simply gives a nod at first and quickly takes the wallet from the girl's grip, burying deep within one of his pockets once more.