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[extirpator]

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[lucubrates]

I see... I will update my notes then, my conversation with another vampire implied otherwise.

[ ...And she admittedly assumed from the bags under his eyes he wasn't a sleeper. Hm. ]

The mirror will go back with me, I need it for someone else tonight... or tomorrow. For now, [ She had asked for his room, but she sets the mirror against a wall adjacent him, and then pulls a strip of measuring tape and a roll of blue fabric out. ] Arms up, Nier.

[extirpator]

I don't think you can lump all of us into the same boat...humans aren't all the same, are they? And neither are sheep.

[ and then— ]

...Huh?

[lucubrates]

Like this!

[ She t-poses. ]

[extirpator]

Why?

[lucubrates]

[ Hm. Has he never... ]

I'm going to measure you.

[extirpator]

...Why?

[lucubrates]

I am going to sew you something to wear.

[ A beat. ]

If you would like to. In Hyrule it is tradition for the princess to sew garments for her Champions, and I would like you to share that honor.

[ A shorter pause. ]

You may reject if you would like.

[extirpator]

Oh, yeah. I'd be honored — I was confused is all.

[ he uh, awkwardly raises his arms. ]

What do you mean by champion, exactly? I didn't win anything.

[lucubrates]

It's what we called the pilots of the Divine Beasts, who would fight against Calamity Ganon and protect Hyrule.

[ Her arms come around him, the tape in hand, and she measures the circumference of his chest. It's easier to use both arms, so she feels like she's initiated the most awkward hug on the planet.

Goddess, if her father saw her now. ]

Truthfully, I do not think we excavated the texts detailing why they were called Champions.

[ And they weren't always called Champions, apparently. ]

You said you'd help me rebuild Hyrule. If this is possible, I would like to give you a title so none may question your position in court, and Champion seems quite nice with that definition. [ A beat. ] Would you prefer "Ser"?

[extirpator]

[ nier stiffens at her touch, a reflex more than anything. there’s heat rushing to his cheeks too, but it’s not as though he could tell you why. ]

Position in court...? I don’t think I have the mind for that kind of thing.

[ it’s a half truth. he’d been smarter than he’d let on, but the idea of being anything more than a mercenary or a caretaker was inconceivable. ]

Just call me Nier. We’re friends, you don’t have to get formal with me.

[lucubrates]

[ The man's got a barrel chest. He is built like a house. She has no idea what to do with this info. ]

You are just Nier.

[ She moves to his arm, looks at him through the corner of her eye. ]

And as Nier, you have the mind for a great many things. You'd put the chef out of the kitchen in a week, I bet!

[extirpator]

Giving me too much credit again..

[ being complimented this much was an oddity. but worse of all, it’s getting harder to conceal the red tint to his features. ]

I’d be happy to help around though. I’ll take whatever work you give me.

[lucubrates]

[ She exhales through her nose; a laugh. She disagrees with him, but won't push the subject. She has to show him that she just thinks fondly of him, bit by bit. ]

I intend to put you to work.

[ The other arm now. ]

But you, I suspect, will put me to work, as well.

[extirpator]

What d’you mean by that?

[ he cranes his head to look at her, a brow raising with curiosity. ]

[lucubrates]

[ She looks back at him, meeting his gaze but saying nothing as she memorizes the length of his arm. Her fingers graze his palm, lightly.

She looks back to her work. ]

You are a busy person. Keeping up with you is... enjoyable, but work in it's own right.

[ UM. That's not what she wanted to say, but she's too embarrassed to say anything else. ]

Your hands are delicate, if a bit rough.

[extirpator]

Oh...I’ll try not to cause any trouble. It’s your home and all.

[ the...point goes over his head, as most things of this nature do. still, there’s a cant of the head at what she says next. ]

I sew too. My clothes are my own work. [ his eyes flicker down. ] My mother was a seamstress, so I picked up a little from her. ...What I could, at least.

[lucubrates]

[ The language there isn't lost on her. She pauses and takes a step back to look at him, before kneeling and continuing her work. ]

I visited my mother's best friend often. She told me stories of them both, and one evening, she told me my mother would call me little bird.

[ He's such a tall person. He gives off a lean impression, but there's muscle. She's impressed. ]

I wish I had remembered it, or what she tried to teach me of my own abilities.

[ Looking up at him, she regards him with a thoughtful gaze. ] It's good you have something of her's with you at all times, then.

[extirpator]

[ his eyes are still cast downwards. it’s a distant memory, one faded and worn, and it reminds him that he’d sold every memento he had of hers. that house was all that remained, and now... ]

I don’t really remember my mom either. It was a long time ago.

[ and his life had been overwhelmed by so many other memories. childhood was hardly relevant in the grand scheme of it all. ]

It’s good though, that if you had to know something about her, it was that she loved you.

[lucubrates]

[ She says nothing for a moment, and deems her work done.

She has an idea, then. ]

Thank you. I'm sure that she did. I still love her dearly. [ Standing with her back straight and a smile on her face, Zelda doesn't seem to mourn her mother; in truth, she keeps herself together as much as possible in these moments. A sign of weakness could make it all come down. ]

Do you have a preference for anything? [ Idly, she holds the roll of blue fabric up against him; it's brighter than his usual, but she wants him to feel part of something. ]

[extirpator]

Not really, no. It’s your custom. Whatever fits fits.

[ no thoughts, head empty. was this really the time to be saying something like this? no. ]