Things.

That easy little grin that tugged at the corner of his face suited him. He was adorable and he didn't even realise it, he was lonely, that much was clear, and she decided she'd be the company and friend he needed. Besides, she'd already decided that she enjoyed his company.

Utterly oblivious to her thoughts, her gave her a soft smile. "You don't need to worry about my mam's stuff, love. But thank you for the offer. That was very sweet of you, and it means a lot."

"Brilliant!" She told him with a smile pushing herself up with her hand flat against the table top. He was very proactive and she liked that.

"Some of them are, those ones are mostly filled with books, to be honest." She flashed a wonky little smile before sliding her gaze back to him, her head cocked slightly as she took in his worry. He seemed genuinely concerned for her wellbeing and it was so painfully adorable.

"That helped quite a bit," he agreed, head tilting as he watched her. She was too sweet not to be looking at, in his opinion. "I'm glad your friends were able to help you. It makes things easier."

That easy little grin that tugged at the corner of his face suited him. He was adorable and he didn't even realise it, he was lonely, that much was clear, and she decided she'd be the company and friend he needed. Besides, she'd already decided that she enjoyed his company.

"Doesn't it?" She asked with a smile, it was soft at the edges as she watched him indulge in the idea, watched him let go of things, the tension sliding from him a little. He needed this, she found herself thinking. This ease and comfort. He needed someone to help him feel like himself, to feel like it was alright to be himself.

He followed her gaze, eyebrows arching in response. "I really don't mind," he offered reassuringly. "I hate the thought of you doing all of this on your own. You might get hurt. Some of these boxes look heavy."

"Some of them are, those ones are mostly filled with books, to be honest." She flashed a wonky little smile before sliding her gaze back to him, her head cocked slightly as she took in his worry. He seemed genuinely concerned for her wellbeing and it was so painfully adorable.

She laughed too, enjoying the easy simplicity of the moment, the playfulness and the common ground that they'd once again so effortlessly managed to find.

"I'd really like that as well," he admitted, a sincerity in his eyes that he often hid from others. He was lonely, and he hated to ever let it show. That look on her face was enough to soften him right up, to make him feel safe to be so open and vulnerable with her. He barely knew her, but she was a sweetheart. That was something he was sure of.

"Doesn't it?" She asked with a smile, it was soft at the edges as she watched him indulge in the idea, watched him let go of things, the tension sliding from him a little. He needed this, she found herself thinking. This ease and comfort. He needed someone to help him feel like himself, to feel like it was alright to be himself.

"Alright, I'll drink to that!" She told him with a little smile, lifting her cup in a little toast before she drained the last of her tea, setting her cup back on the table gently.

He couldn't help but laugh at the tone of her voice. With a warm smile, he reached out to pat her fingers. "That's fine," he teased, "You're allowed to take the teacher voice with me every now and then. My mother had that very same talent as you. It feels like I'm right at home, to be honest."

She laughed too, enjoying the easy simplicity of the moment, the playfulness and the common ground that they'd once again so effortlessly managed to find.

"Brilliant, I'll hold you to that then, it's nice to have a friend here already. Being new somewhere isn't always easy, is it."

Ronald was just about a messy pile of mush and feelings. He wasn't exactly the sort to make friends, but it was so nice to hear someone call him that after only just meeting him. He finished his tea and set the mug aside, a soft smile lingering on his lips.

"Alright, I'll drink to that!" She told him with a little smile, lifting her cup in a little toast before she drained the last of her tea, setting her cup back on the table gently.

"Oh that sounds absolutely delightful! I might have to stop by with a cup of tea and say hello. If I stopped by on your break would you share a cup with me?" She flashed him a smile, leaning a little closer.

In all fairness, Ronald absolutely melted at her words. His expression probably said as much. He fumbled for a moment, pausing to sip at his tea as he fought for the right words, so he wouldn't sound like a complete moron.

"Brilliant, I'll hold you to that then, it's nice to have a friend here already. Being new somewhere isn't always easy, is it."

"I'll be sure to. I love a good bookshop, especially a cosy one. Is yours cosy? One of those really snug ones with the wooden shelves and the smell of paper and ink? Maybe a cheeky cup of tea to go with the books...?" She smiled, huffing a little laugh as she cradled her current cup of tea in her hands.

"You know," he began thoughtfully, "there actually is a little coffeehouse next door, so... A cup of tea to go with a bit of reading isn't really off the menu, so to speak. Feel free. It's a cozy little shop, and I think you'll like it."

"Oh that sounds absolutely delightful! I might have to stop by with a cup of tea and say hello. If I stopped by on your break would you share a cup with me?" She flashed him a smile, leaning a little closer.

"I suppose so, compared to what I could have been up to. It's a bit tame really isn't it, not really rebellion," she pulled a face and poured the hot water into the teapot, then arranging the cups on the counter. "Not really. I had this book, 101 places to see. It used to belong to my mum, I was going to go travelling for her, after she passed away. But I never quite made it, life got in the way, y'know?"

His face fell when she mentioned her mother's passing. With a soft sigh, he watched her move around the kitchen before returning to the table again. He fixed his tea, thoughtful now, before casting another glance in her direction.

"I'll be sure to. I love a good bookshop, especially a cosy one. Is yours cosy? One of those really snug ones with the wooden shelves and the smell of paper and ink? Maybe a cheeky cup of tea to go with the books...?" She smiled, huffing a little laugh as she cradled her current cup of tea in her hands.

"Oh! That would be brilliant!" Clara replied brightly, flashing him a smile. "I might actually be able to get it to work. I could do with a little help from a kitchen wizard."

"That's the fun sort of rebellion, though," he said, chuckling. "And did you? Ever get to travel the world, I mean?"

"I suppose so, compared to what I could have been up to. It's a bit tame really isn't it, not really rebellion," she pulled a face and poured the hot water into the teapot, then arranging the cups on the counter. "Not really. I had this book, 101 places to see. It used to belong to my mum, I was going to go travelling for her, after she passed away. But I never quite made it, life got in the way, y'know?"

Of course Clara had taken note of the horrendous jumper but it made her smile, there was something quite charming about it, sort of sweet and perhaps a little bit innocent. It was adorable.

"Well, come to think of it, I might just have a few souffle recipes," he said, laughing softly. "I'll lend you some things, so don't you worry. My nephew always tells me that I'm a wizard in the kitchen, apparently. I enjoy it. And yes, tea would be lovely, thank you."

"Oh! That would be brilliant!" Clara replied brightly, flashing him a smile. "I might actually be able to get it to work. I could do with a little help from a kitchen wizard."

"See, you're helping me already, I'd hate to kill ... him? Her? Before it's even had a chance." She led him down the hallway, past the little stack of books and toward the kitchen, though he likely already knew the way, the layout probably the same as his own home.

Ronald followed along politely, his hands slipping into his pockets as he walked. He was wearing a ghastly jumper, dark jeans, and leather boots. In reality, he had just come home from work and hadn't had the time to change, not that his other jumpers or tops were much better.

Of course Clara had taken note of the horrendous jumper but it made her smile, there was something quite charming about it, sort of sweet and perhaps a little bit innocent. It was adorable.

It was getting harder and harder for her to reconcile this man that was blooming before her with the man she'd heard so much about. This man was witty, sweet and thoughtful. Quick with his compliments and a gentleman to boot, he was exactly the type of man Bonnie had always envisioned for herself when she'd been younger.

"Well, you'll be nice and warm here," he assured her. After he slipped out of the cart, he reached his hands up for her. He didn't want her to hurt herself on the way down. Helping her to the rocky, dirty ground, he laughed softly and brushed a hand over her belly. "You've barely any meat on your bones, you know. You weigh nothing. We'll have to fix that. I'm sure Jada will, in any case."

Surprisingly she didn't mind being in his arms like that, or his hands on her, it was gentle, helpful and polite, playful. There was nothing controlling or possessive about any of it. A small part of her brain also noticed that his hand covered her belly perfectly, large palm and warm, strong fingers... Stop that. She scolded herself gently.

Clara laughed a little bewildered as the plant was pushed into her hands, she cradled the tiny pot carefully though, her hands resting against her belly. There was something incredibly sweet about the way he fumbled his way through the introduction, and she smiled, waiting patiently for him to get it out.

"I... Sure," he said, finally allowing himself a smile. As they went inside together, he continued speaking. "It really only needs to be watered once a week, if that, and you can use the sage for cooking, if you're the sort for those kinds of recipes. It needs to be somewhere in the sun as well, maybe on a window ledge."

"See, you're helping me already, I'd hate to kill ... him? Her? Before it's even had a chance." She led him down the hallway, past the little stack of books and toward the kitchen, though he likely already knew the way, the layout probably the same as his own home.

She made a pleased sound at the information, realising that burgundy would indeed look good on him. Deep, sensual, masculine with just the barest edge of danger. "Dark colours, then, I think. Something rich."

Hopping up into the cart, he offered Bonnie a gentle hand, and once they were all settled in together, he clicked at the horse and they rode off together. The ride was bumpy but sure. He knew the way.

It was getting harder and harder for her to reconcile this man that was blooming before her with the man she'd heard so much about. This man was witty, sweet and thoughtful. Quick with his compliments and a gentleman to boot, he was exactly the type of man Bonnie had always envisioned for herself when she'd been younger.

She'd been elbow deep in a cardboard box sorting through a stack of books when the knock sounded at her door. She was knelt on the floor at the far end of the hallway, the sleeves of an old flannel t-shirt rolled to her elbows and an old pair of jeans hugging her legs. She stood, dusting her hands off as she made her way to the door, she was tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she pulled it open.

Ronald would be lying if he said he didn't notice just how beautiful she was. That was enough to leave him tongue-tied for a moment and unable to speak. He placed the plant in her hands, clearing his throat.

Clara laughed a little bewildered as the plant was pushed into her hands, she cradled the tiny pot carefully though, her hands resting against her belly. There was something incredibly sweet about the way he fumbled his way through the introduction, and she smiled, waiting patiently for him to get it out.

"Alright, it's decided then! I'll find some nice yarn, some colours that'll suit you." She smiled, already running through the colours in her mind, working out what colours would look nice on him. Wondering if she'd be able to see his cabin first...

He was packing up the cart, even if there wasn't a lot to do. Turning back towards her, his eyebrows rose. "Burgundy and gray. Dark colors. The wood's grayish-black."

She made a pleased sound at the information, realising that burgundy would indeed look good on him. Deep, sensual, masculine with just the barest edge of danger. "Dark colours, then, I think. Something rich."