( Relaxed is good. Nico will absolutely take relaxed, if only because it's been hard seeing him so obviously unhappy in the aftermath of his Bonded's disappearance. Losing two such connections at once ... well, let's just say that Nico hopes she never has to experience that for herself. )
Right! Charm!
( ... She'll also take that, too, because honestly? The fact that he's even willing to concede that means this outing has been a great success. Nico smiles warmly, her new hair-pins catching the light as she offers a brief shake of the head: )
And I dunno what you're talkin' about — everything I'm doin' here is for the rats.
( Which is blatantly untrue, but whatever. Nico is just trying to give Hubert an evening of something a little different, possibly even a little fun. )
... That heated cage idea ain't half bad, though. Maybe there's a spell for that?
Oh, I'm sure there is, [he murmurs a little absently, a thumb running across the star on the back.] I made a heated pillow for Lady Edelgard's cat, some time ago. Modification shouldn't be terribly difficult.
[Now that he thought about it, there was a reason it reminded him of Bernadetta. She'd been speaking of making the rats accessories shortly before she vanished, hadn't she? Perhaps Nico's urgings weren't an awful way to honor her in a roundabout manner. Hubert sighs.]
Very well, I'll humor you. [A moment to dig through his pocket for the cunes and pass them to the fawning merchant—before she passes one back with "10% off" and a smile.]
( Unbelievable! After all his protesting, after all those claims of torment, he's been making heated pillows for cats? Nico laughs delightedly before nudging him with her elbow — but then he goes ahead and really does surprise her by deciding to follow through with the purchase. )
Seriously?
( But he's already handing the cunes over — and getting a Kisstletoe discount, by the looks of it. )
See, I knew you weren't immune to the unholy power of ... uh. Cute pet outfits.
( A beat as she looks up at him, her smile a little crooked. )
Alright, maybe I thought you were immune, but you've gone ahead and proven me wrong. I like that.
[Geez, Nico, he made that pillow expressly for a practical purpose! What do you think he is, soft and squishy on the inside? But Nico's laughter is warm, and Hubert overlooks her nudge for it.]
I like to believe I am a reasonable man. I can be swayed with the appropriate arguments.
[He tucks the little sweater into a coat pocket, stepping away from the stall to allow others the chance to peruse—and to get away from the merchant's nosy watch. Hubert glances down at Nico and her crooked smile.] Was that all to your machinations, or will you be dragging me off on another odyssey?
Nah, I'm not gonna push my luck any more. You bought a tiny sweater for a rat; I'm pretty sure that'll tide me over for a couple weeks at least.
( Or until she gets another silly little idea, in any case. Nico isn't sure when she became so invested in keeping Hubert's spirits up, but becoming a genuine annoyance definitely isn't part of the plan. )
You wanna see what else is goin' on here, or head somewhere else?
( She rubs her hands together for warmth, then stuffs them into the pockets of her coat. Look, she's managed to dress for the weather for once, but she did forget her gloves. )
[Hubert did not voice the fact that he might have to double back on another day to purchase another. The rats were shockingly smart, for vermin; he didn't know if they possessed the capacity for jealousy if one received a sweater and another didn't. (If they even liked it.)]
[And he'd had half a mind to reprimand Nico about her gloveless state at the onset of this adventure, but, this was progress well-enough, he supposed. Still, it didn't escape him.]
Perhaps we shouldn't press our luck with the weather, either. The snow will not remain light forever.
[To say nothing of the chill itself as the evening aged. Hubert nearly left it at that, walking along the row of merchants and angling them back towards the Haven. He glances briefly Nico's way out of the corner of his eye. Modranicht... it was almost a year ago to the day that Edelgard had asked him to learn to open himself, and to learn to be selfish. The rats had certainly been a big step, but...]
[It's not a gesture Hubert hasn't made before, but this time, it's different; Hubert's arm lifts slightly, just a subtle shift of his shoulder and bend of his elbow, more of a suggestion of a gesture than a true one. The look he turns to Nico in time with it is silently questioning, and together there's something so very tentative about the offer of his arm.]
[Because while Hubert has offered his arm plenty of times to others before—politely, professionally, jestingly, amicably—this instance felt different in the wake of their moment at the stall. It's almost bold, by Hubert's especially reserved standards, a hint of a question behind the gesture itself, and certainly out of his usual comfort zone.]
( Any other time, Nico doubts she'd have thought twice about taking his arm. It's a gesture with which she's fairly familiar: she and Kyrie often link arms when they're out together, and she'll occasionally slip her arm into Nero's just because she knows he finds it embarrassing, but this? It's definitely different. Hubert's querying expression, the fact they just kissed, the weird sensation of warmth in the pit of her stomach ...
She slips her arm through his, bringing them closer together than they've ever been before. The slight flush of pink returns to her cheeks as she clears her throat before giving his arm a warm little squeeze: )
Yeah, you're probably right about that. It's kinda nice to just hang out though, so ...
( Nico looks up at him again. )
D'you, uh — we could go back to mine for coffee or something? Or yours, if you don't got a couple roommates who won't be able to leave well alone.
( But her tone is fond, if only because she knows Kyrie's interference and Nero's prickling would all be coming from a place of love. Doesn't mean she has to approve of it, though. )
[Some form of relief strikes Hubert when she accepts his elbow that he hadn't realized he'd been waiting for. The breath Hubert lets out is quiet and far from a sigh as he looks ahead again, and the corners of his mouth lift ever so faintly.]
Mm. Leslie is never a bother, I can assure you. I wouldn't be opposed to coffee if you don't mind the animals.
[But, let's be real, when was Hubert ever opposed to coffee? His residence had become an outright zoo at one point between all the occupants, and with their departure he and Leslie had inherited all those animals. Recalling Nico rubbing at her hands, Hubert places his free gloved hand over her in the crook of his elbow so at least her fingers wouldn't freeze for his request.]
I've recently acquired a bag from Purramid that I'm quite pleased with. Hopefully it's to your tastes.
( The last of the uncertainty that hung around his offer melts away to leave something altogether pleasant between them: a warming combination of his relief mixed with her delight. )
See, this is where I could pretend I'm the kinda person who knows about coffee an' cares about the flavour, but ...
( She chuckles lightly, then offers a little shrug. )
As long as it ain't instant, it'll be fine.
( The touch of his hand is a surprise, but Nico is grateful for the barrier of Hubert's between the cold air and her bare fingers. She waits until they've fallen into step comfortably before speaking up again: )
Anyway, tell me more about these animals. You got some kinda menagerie goin' on that I should know about?
[Hubert can't help a reflexive feeling of disgust, his mouth twisting slightly.]
I have had more than a lifetime's worth of instant coffee at war. You needn't worry about that.
[Falling into step felt almost instinctual; Hubert had spent most of his life keeping pace with someone much smaller than him, after all, and despite the difference in their statures adjusting his stride held no difficulty.]
Something of the sort. My first familiar is a snake, and with the turn of the weather spends most of its time slumbering by the hearth. You've met the rats. There are two cats, Heidi and Princess—one Lady Edelgard's and one Leslie's—as well as an Aegir Hound Lady Edelgard had taken in. It... seemed in ill taste to rehome her pets, so care of them has fallen to myself and Leslie.
[He frowns slightly.] I suppose... there is also an enchanted broom in the basement that very much behaves as an aggressive dog. I'm still unsure what to do with it.
( Nico is counting the animals off in her head when Hubert has to go and mention the enchanted broom, which immediately has her pressing her lips together into a thin line as she tries to hold in a burst of laughter. It isn't so much the thing itself that's hilarious, but the idea of Hubert being chased around by an aggressive, barking broom, and she has to take a moment to press the fingers of her free hand to her lips as she quivers with held-in giggles. )
Y-You ... um. Spell gone wrong, huh?
( She's on the verge of teasing about it some more, but fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) the rest of Hubert's reply finally catches up with her. He'd had more than a lifetime's worth of coffee ... during the war? )
Wait—
( Nico glances up at him again, her expression sobering a little. )
[Please, please take that damned broom off his hands, Nico. He glances from the corner of his eye at Nico's movement, but his demeanor is unperturbed by his casual mention of war.]
Soldier, general, tactician, Marquis, Minister, retainer—more. I play many roles within the Empire. But yes, I have served for nearly six years, though that will hopefully be the end of our wars for some time.
[To say nothing of his secret wars. Reflecting back, war is perhaps all he's ever known.]
( Nico's eyebrows bump higher and higher as he lists off his various titles and responsibilities. Now, it's rare for her to think she's somehow less than someone, but in moving from 'fancy man' to 'actual titled man of an Empire' she can't help but feel suddenly ... different. Like even if they'd been from the same world, their lives would likely have never intersected.
It's a curious feeling, really, but it only gives her pause for a moment. )
So how old are you, then? I'd been guessin' somewhere in your early thirties, but ...
[Hubert blinks. He's never minded the numerous things others said about his appearance—even encouraged some of those things to aid his reputation—but there's something about that scrutinizing squint that takes him off guard.]
Nico, I'm twenty-seven.
[Granted, he knew his sleeping habits did him no favors, the mirror told him that much, but... truly?]
[What an experience it is watching Nico try to salvage this. Her surprise stopping her train of thought short, each sentence pivoting in a different direction, hopeful gestures trying to mend what her fumbling words couldn't.]
[Not that there was anything to mend. Hubert was perhaps a little taken aback, but that was far from offense. No, he couldn't help but watch on fondly, appreciating her earnestness, in both her opinions and her mistakes. It's refreshing to not have to guess someone's hidden intentions.]
[A low sound comes from Hubert; it's too dampened and melancholy to be his usual smooth chuckle, but... it is a laugh, or a ghost of one that was close enough. The first one in a while.]
There is no harm in it. Do not trouble yourself.
[Hubert guides them to the side towards his house; it's one clearly designed with this world's vampires in mind, given that there were no windows on the second floor. He unlocks the door and gestures her in to a sitting room on the left, a banked fire in the hearth.]
( Nico remains flustered for a short while longer anyway, although even she can't help but grin when that almost-chuckle rolls from the back of Hubert's throat. She feels pretty foolish, yes, but at least he hasn't left her feeling stupid or ashamed for making such a mess of things. )
Well, alright. If you ain't offended, then maybe I'll be able to get over it.
( Happy for the distraction of arriving at their destination, Nico follows Hubert into the house and removes her coat as she keeps an eye out for his familiar. )
Me? I'm twenty-three. Go on now, you can go ahead and say I look thirty as well.
( She turns to face him again, the sheepishness lifting from her expression as she chuckles at him again. Her coat is lifted a moment later: )
Nothing of the sort. [Hubert directs her towards a coat rack near the door with a wave of his hand. After Nico's estimation of him, he'd started to worry he'd overestimated her age.] I'd would be surprised to meet any mercenary claiming to be thirty that looks as you do.
[Granted, what mercenary life looks like in FĂłdlan probably differs from... whatever Nico's world is like, but Hubert felt safe in assuming it wasn't an easy life.]
[A glass habitat indeed sits beside the hearth, presumably with the aforementioned snake, judging by the little ball of black and white scales basking in the low heat. Even with the nearby fire, winter still wasn't kind to the cold-blooded creature. Hubert wanders through the sitting room to the kitchen.]
( Nico wrinkles her nose at the term. Sure, it's exactly the word to describe what Devil May Cry does, but she associates it more with hunting and killing people than demons who've managed to claw their way out of hell. )
I think I'm gonna stick with "devil hunter", if it's all the same to you. Sounds better on the business card.
( At his invitation, Nico does move to get comfortable on the couch, although she takes a moment to crouch by the snake and offer a little "hi" before moving over to take a seat. She can see the snow beginning to fall more heavily outside, and watching it build up against the window reminds her of the upper floors of the house. )
So your Lady Edelgard ... was she a vampire while she was here?
[Devil hunter, he notes, though he really didn't see what fault there was in mercenary. But, it was her business, he supposed.]
[With his back to the sitting room, the way Hubert's expression sinks back into something more solemn at the reminder isn't visible. It wasn't so much that he'd forgotten—that damned phantom sense of nagging loss never left him—but it certain brought the feeling to the forefront, especially in the house. The place fit four residents well, but two felt overly empty.]
She was, yes. Her Majesty was transformed as many others were. It is a cruel thing, to force someone to consume the blood of others and rob them of the sun.
... I'm guessin' you did everythin' you could to make sure she was as comfortable as possible, though?
( The house, for example, was obviously purpose-built for her kind, and Hubert speaks of her with the kind of fierce reverence that suggests he'd do anything for her. Nico smiles: it's the same kind of loyalty that Nero shows Kyrie, although she isn't sure whether their relationship was like that.
Who knows. )
I bet she appreciated it.
( A silly thing to say, really, considering Nico never met the woman, but maybe it's what Hubert needs to hear. Nico turns on the couch so she's knelt on the cushions with her arms folded against the back: )
Not like Nero. I spend way too much of my time here bustin' my ass to help him, and he's still a jerk about it.
( But she sounds amused if nothing else, because that's just how Nero shows affection to anyone who isn't Kyrie. )
[His motions still for the barest second, and then Hubert responds with a noise of wordless confirmation. That's the benefit of being Bonded, at least; Hubert felt Edelgard's appreciation. It was good to be reminded of that, perhaps, even if it did nothing to make separation for the third time any easier.]
Nah, I know he 's grateful underneath that frown of his. Even if we don't really say it, ever since we Bonded ...
( Similar to Edelgard and Hubert, she suspects. Being able to feel the depth of Nero's appreciation of her had been new and different - and she suspects that went both ways. )
We're just not very good at talkin' about it, is all.
[It wasn't difficult to understand, even if none of his Bonded could be described as ungrateful. Even as close as they were, even Bonded, he and Edelgard were perhaps not as good at talking as they should have been—perhaps too considerate of the other in turning a blind eye to what they did not want seen, instead of pushing where it was needed.]
[Hubert wanders back with two mugs of a particularly aromatic coffee—and a snooty one, prepared with the best beans Hubert could find in the city over the last year.
There is milk and sugar if you prefer it, [he rumbles as he hands her a mug, taking a seat with a moderate distance between them. Kissletoe or not, offered arm or not, he didn't want to be too presumptuous.]
This Nero you've mentioned... he is your 'devil hunting' partner, is he not? What spurred you to such an extreme profession?
( Nico takes the coffee with a hum of thanks. There's definitely a time and a place for a sweet coffee with a dash of milk, but right now? She's more interested in the hot, full flavour of the black drink between her hands. It smells divine - Nico inhales appreciatively before taking a little sip, after which she moves to put her mug down and settle just a little closer to Hubert. )
Well, it's kinda in the family.
( Have a grim chuckle. )
My daddy, he got into some real dark stuff with the Order of the Sword - church crap, y'know? Turns out the High Priest Sanctus was a demon all along, an' my dad was workin' on some sort of alchemy to make him, uh ... a demonic army? Dante and Nero sorted that all out, though. He's dead now.
( She wrinkles her nose. )
Anyway, I wasn't raised my him - he abandoned us when I was a baby. My adopted grandma did my upbringin' after my mom died; taught me how to make artisinal weapons for sendin' those demons back to hell. She'd tell me stories about the weapons she made for the legendary Dante - devil hunter extraordinaire of Devil May Cry - and when Nero took over from him? That's when I made my move.
( Huh. It all sounds pretty crazy when you lay it out like that, doesn't it? Nico offers a vaguely sheepish smile. )
I found him, said I was lookin' for a job. Someone's gotta make up for what my daddy did, and - I'm good at it. Really good at it.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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( Relaxed is good. Nico will absolutely take relaxed, if only because it's been hard seeing him so obviously unhappy in the aftermath of his Bonded's disappearance. Losing two such connections at once ... well, let's just say that Nico hopes she never has to experience that for herself. )
Right! Charm!
( ... She'll also take that, too, because honestly? The fact that he's even willing to concede that means this outing has been a great success. Nico smiles warmly, her new hair-pins catching the light as she offers a brief shake of the head: )
And I dunno what you're talkin' about — everything I'm doin' here is for the rats.
( Which is blatantly untrue, but whatever. Nico is just trying to give Hubert an evening of something a little different, possibly even a little fun. )
... That heated cage idea ain't half bad, though. Maybe there's a spell for that?
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[Now that he thought about it, there was a reason it reminded him of Bernadetta. She'd been speaking of making the rats accessories shortly before she vanished, hadn't she? Perhaps Nico's urgings weren't an awful way to honor her in a roundabout manner. Hubert sighs.]
Very well, I'll humor you. [A moment to dig through his pocket for the cunes and pass them to the fawning merchant—before she passes one back with "10% off" and a smile.]
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... Of course you did.
( Unbelievable! After all his protesting, after all those claims of torment, he's been making heated pillows for cats? Nico laughs delightedly before nudging him with her elbow — but then he goes ahead and really does surprise her by deciding to follow through with the purchase. )
Seriously?
( But he's already handing the cunes over — and getting a Kisstletoe discount, by the looks of it. )
See, I knew you weren't immune to the unholy power of ... uh. Cute pet outfits.
( A beat as she looks up at him, her smile a little crooked. )
Alright, maybe I thought you were immune, but you've gone ahead and proven me wrong. I like that.
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I like to believe I am a reasonable man. I can be swayed with the appropriate arguments.
[He tucks the little sweater into a coat pocket, stepping away from the stall to allow others the chance to peruse—and to get away from the merchant's nosy watch. Hubert glances down at Nico and her crooked smile.] Was that all to your machinations, or will you be dragging me off on another odyssey?
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( Nico just chuckles and shakes her head: )
Nah, I'm not gonna push my luck any more. You bought a tiny sweater for a rat; I'm pretty sure that'll tide me over for a couple weeks at least.
( Or until she gets another silly little idea, in any case. Nico isn't sure when she became so invested in keeping Hubert's spirits up, but becoming a genuine annoyance definitely isn't part of the plan. )
You wanna see what else is goin' on here, or head somewhere else?
( She rubs her hands together for warmth, then stuffs them into the pockets of her coat. Look, she's managed to dress for the weather for once, but she did forget her gloves. )
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[And he'd had half a mind to reprimand Nico about her gloveless state at the onset of this adventure, but, this was progress well-enough, he supposed. Still, it didn't escape him.]
Perhaps we shouldn't press our luck with the weather, either. The snow will not remain light forever.
[To say nothing of the chill itself as the evening aged. Hubert nearly left it at that, walking along the row of merchants and angling them back towards the Haven. He glances briefly Nico's way out of the corner of his eye. Modranicht... it was almost a year ago to the day that Edelgard had asked him to learn to open himself, and to learn to be selfish. The rats had certainly been a big step, but...]
[It's not a gesture Hubert hasn't made before, but this time, it's different; Hubert's arm lifts slightly, just a subtle shift of his shoulder and bend of his elbow, more of a suggestion of a gesture than a true one. The look he turns to Nico in time with it is silently questioning, and together there's something so very tentative about the offer of his arm.]
[Because while Hubert has offered his arm plenty of times to others before—politely, professionally, jestingly, amicably—this instance felt different in the wake of their moment at the stall. It's almost bold, by Hubert's especially reserved standards, a hint of a question behind the gesture itself, and certainly out of his usual comfort zone.]
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( Any other time, Nico doubts she'd have thought twice about taking his arm. It's a gesture with which she's fairly familiar: she and Kyrie often link arms when they're out together, and she'll occasionally slip her arm into Nero's just because she knows he finds it embarrassing, but this? It's definitely different. Hubert's querying expression, the fact they just kissed, the weird sensation of warmth in the pit of her stomach ...
She slips her arm through his, bringing them closer together than they've ever been before. The slight flush of pink returns to her cheeks as she clears her throat before giving his arm a warm little squeeze: )
Yeah, you're probably right about that. It's kinda nice to just hang out though, so ...
( Nico looks up at him again. )
D'you, uh — we could go back to mine for coffee or something? Or yours, if you don't got a couple roommates who won't be able to leave well alone.
( But her tone is fond, if only because she knows Kyrie's interference and Nero's prickling would all be coming from a place of love. Doesn't mean she has to approve of it, though. )
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Mm. Leslie is never a bother, I can assure you. I wouldn't be opposed to coffee if you don't mind the animals.
[But, let's be real, when was Hubert ever opposed to coffee? His residence had become an outright zoo at one point between all the occupants, and with their departure he and Leslie had inherited all those animals. Recalling Nico rubbing at her hands, Hubert places his free gloved hand over her in the crook of his elbow so at least her fingers wouldn't freeze for his request.]
I've recently acquired a bag from Purramid that I'm quite pleased with. Hopefully it's to your tastes.
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( The last of the uncertainty that hung around his offer melts away to leave something altogether pleasant between them: a warming combination of his relief mixed with her delight. )
See, this is where I could pretend I'm the kinda person who knows about coffee an' cares about the flavour, but ...
( She chuckles lightly, then offers a little shrug. )
As long as it ain't instant, it'll be fine.
( The touch of his hand is a surprise, but Nico is grateful for the barrier of Hubert's between the cold air and her bare fingers. She waits until they've fallen into step comfortably before speaking up again: )
Anyway, tell me more about these animals. You got some kinda menagerie goin' on that I should know about?
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I have had more than a lifetime's worth of instant coffee at war. You needn't worry about that.
[Falling into step felt almost instinctual; Hubert had spent most of his life keeping pace with someone much smaller than him, after all, and despite the difference in their statures adjusting his stride held no difficulty.]
Something of the sort. My first familiar is a snake, and with the turn of the weather spends most of its time slumbering by the hearth. You've met the rats. There are two cats, Heidi and Princess—one Lady Edelgard's and one Leslie's—as well as an Aegir Hound Lady Edelgard had taken in. It... seemed in ill taste to rehome her pets, so care of them has fallen to myself and Leslie.
[He frowns slightly.] I suppose... there is also an enchanted broom in the basement that very much behaves as an aggressive dog. I'm still unsure what to do with it.
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( Nico is counting the animals off in her head when Hubert has to go and mention the enchanted broom, which immediately has her pressing her lips together into a thin line as she tries to hold in a burst of laughter. It isn't so much the thing itself that's hilarious, but the idea of Hubert being chased around by an aggressive, barking broom, and she has to take a moment to press the fingers of her free hand to her lips as she quivers with held-in giggles. )
Y-You ... um. Spell gone wrong, huh?
( She's on the verge of teasing about it some more, but fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) the rest of Hubert's reply finally catches up with her. He'd had more than a lifetime's worth of coffee ... during the war? )
Wait—
( Nico glances up at him again, her expression sobering a little. )
You're a soldier?
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Soldier, general, tactician, Marquis, Minister, retainer—more. I play many roles within the Empire. But yes, I have served for nearly six years, though that will hopefully be the end of our wars for some time.
[To say nothing of his secret wars. Reflecting back, war is perhaps all he's ever known.]
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( Nico's eyebrows bump higher and higher as he lists off his various titles and responsibilities. Now, it's rare for her to think she's somehow less than someone, but in moving from 'fancy man' to 'actual titled man of an Empire' she can't help but feel suddenly ... different. Like even if they'd been from the same world, their lives would likely have never intersected.
It's a curious feeling, really, but it only gives her pause for a moment. )
So how old are you, then? I'd been guessin' somewhere in your early thirties, but ...
( Have a little squint. )
You older than that?
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Nico, I'm twenty-seven.
[Granted, he knew his sleeping habits did him no favors, the mirror told him that much, but... truly?]
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( Fuck. )
Twenty— ( Oh no. She's gone and put her foot in it, hasn't she. ) Well, yeah! That makes sense, 'cause I thought you looked way younger than ...
( Vaguely gestures??? Why is she like this? Why has she never learned to be more subtle about her personal questions?? )
But I guess 'cause you seem so formal an' sensible, I thought you were older. That's— uh.
( She laughs a little breathlessly, the red in her cheeks now clearly that of embarrassment. )
Sorry!
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[Not that there was anything to mend. Hubert was perhaps a little taken aback, but that was far from offense. No, he couldn't help but watch on fondly, appreciating her earnestness, in both her opinions and her mistakes. It's refreshing to not have to guess someone's hidden intentions.]
[A low sound comes from Hubert; it's too dampened and melancholy to be his usual smooth chuckle, but... it is a laugh, or a ghost of one that was close enough. The first one in a while.]
There is no harm in it. Do not trouble yourself.
[Hubert guides them to the side towards his house; it's one clearly designed with this world's vampires in mind, given that there were no windows on the second floor. He unlocks the door and gestures her in to a sitting room on the left, a banked fire in the hearth.]
Dare I ask your age, following that assessment?
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( Nico remains flustered for a short while longer anyway, although even she can't help but grin when that almost-chuckle rolls from the back of Hubert's throat. She feels pretty foolish, yes, but at least he hasn't left her feeling stupid or ashamed for making such a mess of things. )
Well, alright. If you ain't offended, then maybe I'll be able to get over it.
( Happy for the distraction of arriving at their destination, Nico follows Hubert into the house and removes her coat as she keeps an eye out for his familiar. )
Me? I'm twenty-three. Go on now, you can go ahead and say I look thirty as well.
( She turns to face him again, the sheepishness lifting from her expression as she chuckles at him again. Her coat is lifted a moment later: )
You got somewhere I can hang this?
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[Granted, what mercenary life looks like in FĂłdlan probably differs from... whatever Nico's world is like, but Hubert felt safe in assuming it wasn't an easy life.]
[A glass habitat indeed sits beside the hearth, presumably with the aforementioned snake, judging by the little ball of black and white scales basking in the low heat. Even with the nearby fire, winter still wasn't kind to the cold-blooded creature. Hubert wanders through the sitting room to the kitchen.]
Please, make yourself comfortable.
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Mercenary ...
( Nico wrinkles her nose at the term. Sure, it's exactly the word to describe what Devil May Cry does, but she associates it more with hunting and killing people than demons who've managed to claw their way out of hell. )
I think I'm gonna stick with "devil hunter", if it's all the same to you. Sounds better on the business card.
( At his invitation, Nico does move to get comfortable on the couch, although she takes a moment to crouch by the snake and offer a little "hi" before moving over to take a seat. She can see the snow beginning to fall more heavily outside, and watching it build up against the window reminds her of the upper floors of the house. )
So your Lady Edelgard ... was she a vampire while she was here?
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[With his back to the sitting room, the way Hubert's expression sinks back into something more solemn at the reminder isn't visible. It wasn't so much that he'd forgotten—that damned phantom sense of nagging loss never left him—but it certain brought the feeling to the forefront, especially in the house. The place fit four residents well, but two felt overly empty.]
She was, yes. Her Majesty was transformed as many others were. It is a cruel thing, to force someone to consume the blood of others and rob them of the sun.
[The scent of coffee begins to fill the air.]
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... I'm guessin' you did everythin' you could to make sure she was as comfortable as possible, though?
( The house, for example, was obviously purpose-built for her kind, and Hubert speaks of her with the kind of fierce reverence that suggests he'd do anything for her. Nico smiles: it's the same kind of loyalty that Nero shows Kyrie, although she isn't sure whether their relationship was like that.
Who knows. )
I bet she appreciated it.
( A silly thing to say, really, considering Nico never met the woman, but maybe it's what Hubert needs to hear. Nico turns on the couch so she's knelt on the cushions with her arms folded against the back: )
Not like Nero. I spend way too much of my time here bustin' my ass to help him, and he's still a jerk about it.
( But she sounds amused if nothing else, because that's just how Nero shows affection to anyone who isn't Kyrie. )
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And how is that? [Hubert calls back.]
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What do you mean? How's he bein' a jerk?
( Nico just laughs. )
Nah, I know he 's grateful underneath that frown of his. Even if we don't really say it, ever since we Bonded ...
( Similar to Edelgard and Hubert, she suspects. Being able to feel the depth of Nero's appreciation of her had been new and different - and she suspects that went both ways. )
We're just not very good at talkin' about it, is all.
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[It wasn't difficult to understand, even if none of his Bonded could be described as ungrateful. Even as close as they were, even Bonded, he and Edelgard were perhaps not as good at talking as they should have been—perhaps too considerate of the other in turning a blind eye to what they did not want seen, instead of pushing where it was needed.]
[Hubert wanders back with two mugs of a particularly aromatic coffee—and a snooty one, prepared with the best beans Hubert could find in the city over the last year.
There is milk and sugar if you prefer it, [he rumbles as he hands her a mug, taking a seat with a moderate distance between them. Kissletoe or not, offered arm or not, he didn't want to be too presumptuous.]
This Nero you've mentioned... he is your 'devil hunting' partner, is he not? What spurred you to such an extreme profession?
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( Nico takes the coffee with a hum of thanks. There's definitely a time and a place for a sweet coffee with a dash of milk, but right now? She's more interested in the hot, full flavour of the black drink between her hands. It smells divine - Nico inhales appreciatively before taking a little sip, after which she moves to put her mug down and settle just a little closer to Hubert. )
Well, it's kinda in the family.
( Have a grim chuckle. )
My daddy, he got into some real dark stuff with the Order of the Sword - church crap, y'know? Turns out the High Priest Sanctus was a demon all along, an' my dad was workin' on some sort of alchemy to make him, uh ... a demonic army? Dante and Nero sorted that all out, though. He's dead now.
( She wrinkles her nose. )
Anyway, I wasn't raised my him - he abandoned us when I was a baby. My adopted grandma did my upbringin' after my mom died; taught me how to make artisinal weapons for sendin' those demons back to hell. She'd tell me stories about the weapons she made for the legendary Dante - devil hunter extraordinaire of Devil May Cry - and when Nero took over from him? That's when I made my move.
( Huh. It all sounds pretty crazy when you lay it out like that, doesn't it? Nico offers a vaguely sheepish smile. )
I found him, said I was lookin' for a job. Someone's gotta make up for what my daddy did, and - I'm good at it. Really good at it.
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