Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

{You walk through the forest with Bonnie in your arms, rain pouring down all around... weak, tired, soaking wet, and sick of their incessant crying...}

"WAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"

{Shut up...}

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!"

{Shut up, shut up, shut up!!}

"I WANNA GO HOOOOOOOOOME!!!"

{You can't take this anymore... Why did you do this?... Why did you take them with you..}

"WAAAAAAAAAA-"

"SHUT UP!!! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!!!"

{You finally snap, holding them out in front of you instead of against you anymore, glaring at them in anger.}

"You think I want to be out here?! You think I want to be carrying you around for days with you screaming in my ear anytime it gets uncomfortable?! You think I wanted any of this?!"

{They freeze in your grip, shaking and sniffling, looking up at you with a look of fear you'd never seen before... It's sadly not enough to stop your rage.}

"Everything was perfect!! Everything was wonderful until I stopped being their perfect little girl!! I don't even know what I did?! I don't know why they stopped loving me!!! But then they had you! To replace me! To be their perfect little child again!!! Do you think that's going to continue forever?! Their love!? Their kindness?! You'll just end up being replaced like I was!!! Now shut up already!!!"

{You scream at the top of your lungs, panting heavily while your rage finally starts to subside... You look at Bonnie regretfully, tears welling up in their horrified face... until they look above you, an even more terrified look growing across their fac-}

WHACK

{You feel a violent smack across your side, causing you to drop them and sending you tumbling over and sliding across the ground.}

{You struggle for air as the wind is knocked out of you, wheezing and choking, trying to get your bearings back after the sudden hit... Then you hear Bonnie scream.}

{You struggle to your feet, then you see it... an Envie, a big nasty one at that... was that... from you?... You don't have time to worry about that. You struggle back to your feet, watching it loom over your baby sibling.}

"HEY! GET AWAY FROM THEM!!"

{It turns to look at you... dozens of eyes of various sizes, yet only the biggest one looks towards you, the rest are still focused on Bonnie. You rush towards it, slamming your shoulder into it and pinning it to a tree. You slam your fist into it, trying to keep it restrained as you force your rock craft onto it over and over.}

{You get tossed away yet again but manage to land safely as the sadness rushes back towards its real target. Bonnie screams more, and before you've even realized it, you're suddenly at the monster again, moving faster than you even thought you could. You tackle it to the ground and smack your fist into its head, then again, and again, and again! You won't let it hurt Bonnie, you won't let them hurt either of you ever again! No more lies! No more betrayal! No more hate and abuse and-and-...}

{You look down at the ground... the Sadness had already returned to dust. You've been punching the ground for... you're not sure how long... blood dripping from your raw knuckles... You glance back over at Bonnie, shaking and watching in horror at everything, but they're okay... You pull off your pack, grabbing a roll of bandages to poorly wrap around your shaking hands. You get up off the ground and walk back over to them, kneeling close by.}

"I'm sorry Bonnie... I'm so sorry... C'mon, let's get you outta here and some place nice and warm, alright?..."

{You offer your shaking, bandaged hand out for them to take. They hesitantly reach out after a moment, allowing you to pick them back up, holding them close and starting to walk down the dark, wet, muddy path once more... hoping that a new place you could call home would be just on the horizon.}

Chapter Text

{Soon the air is filled with the salty scent of the sea and the sound of waves softly rolling across the shore. You hold your snoozing sibling closer as you come to a stop, looking over the little coastal town you've finally arrived at. It's far enough from the port you arrived at that you don't think you'll be bothered here, letting out an oh so relieved sigh now that your harrowing journey seems to be over...}

"Dear change! Are you okay young ones?"

{You perk up, turning to see an old woman coming into the town along the same path as you. She looks to be in her 50s maybe? wearing a flowing sundress and carrying a basket filled with what seems to be foraged fruits and vegetables. She looks quite shocked and worried, not too surprising considering you probably look half starved, covered in dried mud, and still bandaged in a few places.}

"Y-Yeah, we're fine... just a long journey is all... Do you by chance know of an Inn nearby?"

{You slip into your best 'happy and polite girl' role, the only thing that ever kept your parents from continuously berating you for 'backtalking'... She raises a brow, clearly not buying it.}

"You look a terribly long way from home, dear... Were you just stopping by or were you planning on staying?"

"I... uhm... I don't really know yet..."

"Well then that settles it, there's no Inn around here so you'll just have to stay with me for a while!"

{She simply states as fact with a bright smile. You're so caught off guard you don't even fully process what she said for a moment, standing there blinking like an idiot.}

"... Y-You... Excuse me?"

"You both need a place to stay while you're here, right? I've got a spare room, and I'm sure a strong young woman such as yourself could help me around the house if you wouldn't mind!"

{You're still just staring in silence... You were told Vaugardians were kind but you never expected this...}

"Th... That's very kind of you ma'am, but I couldn't impo-"

"Nonsense! It's no imposition at all! Besides, I've been eager for some company, been just me all alone in my old house for a while now, you wouldn't want to leave a poor old woman all alone, would you?"

{She 'guilt trips' with a teasing grin, knowing exactly how to give you no option in the sweetest way possible... A sniffle escapes your nose as you feel tears starting to roll down your face.}

"I-... I..."

"Oh dear, shhhhh, it's alright! Come now, let's get you inside to make yourself at home."

{She quickly pulls you close into a side hug to comfort you, Bonnie's sleeping form gently squeezed between the both of you. She starts leading you along to her home while you try and fail to stop your tears from falling. Soon enough you're ushered inside, vision too blurry from crying to even make out much of the place, and sat down at a dining table.}

"You must be starving, I'll whip something up while you rest your feet for a while."

"Th-Thank you ma'am..."

{You barely manage to choke out your polite response as you're still overwhelmed with relief, so many years of tension starting to melt away.}

"I'm Rosalie by the way, or just Rose works too, what was your name hun?"

"Petr-... J-Just Nille, Miss Rose..."

"Well a pleasure to meet you 'Just Nille'."

{She snickers to herself.}

"And how about the heavy sleeper in your arms?"

"B-Bonnie... Their name is Bonnie..."

"What a pair of lovely names for a pair of lovely young ones. Do you both like tartiflette? I was looking for an excuse to put these potatoes to use before they went bad."

{You can't help but laugh slightly at the coincidence, your tears finally slowing but your throat still tight.}

"They love potatoes actually, and I'll eat just about anything... Thank you."

"Don't even mention it dear, thank you for giving me an excuse to break out an old family recipe!"

{You wipe your eyes finally, taking deep and slow breaths still as you try to get a hold of yourself. You look around the place now that you've finally got your bearings, noticing some pictures hung up on the walls, many of her and another woman around her age...}

"Water or Tea?"

{Miss Rose calls out from the kitchen, snapping you out of it.}

"What?"

"Water or Tea? Which would you like?"

{She asked, carrying a tray out with all the supplies needed for tea, and a pitcher of ice water. She begins to prepare her own cup of tea as she waits for your answer.}

"O-Oh! J-just water, thank you... You said you live all alone here?"

"I did. I've made a lot of traveling friends who end up stopping by from time to time, but it's been just me here for a good many years now."

{You now notice the bonding earrings she wore, peeking back at the photos to confirm the other woman had the same pair. Miss Rose must notice your eyes wandering, pouring the water for you as she speaks again.}

"We had a wonderful time together, short as it may have been, and I wouldn't trade any of it for the world, so don't you go and pity me now, dear!"

{She playfully wags a stern finger at you, making you laugh to lighten the mood. You perk up as you feel Bonnie starting to squirm against you, a big yawn escaping them while they stretch.}

"Nngghh... huh?..."

"Morning Bon, this is Miss Rose, we're gonna be staying with her for a little while, okay?"

{They look around confused for a moment, getting their bearings in this new environment before peeking over at Miss Rose, holding you closer.}

"It's okay Bonnie, she's very nice, and she's making a nice potato dish for us!"

{Their eyes light up at the mention of potatoes as they look back up at you.}

"Really?!" {They turn back to her, still a little shy.} "Thank you Missus Rose!"

"Hah! Oh how precious! It's no trouble at all, little one. The look on your face made it worth it on its own!"

{She laughed, ruffling their hair a little before heading back to the kitchen. She even seemed to pay attention to how Bonnie reacted to her touch, with a bright smile and giggle.}

"I think we might have found our new home Bonnie... We're right by the ocean, this place is so pretty and there's a nice cool breeze. And if everyone here is even a fraction as nice as Miss Rose... Heh, It almost sounds too good to be true even..."

"Does dat mean we can go fishing?!"

"Hah! Sure Bonnie... we can go fishing sometime."

{You sigh softly, holding them closer to you in a tight hug for a moment. You try not to let your guard down too much, you haven't even been here an hour yet... but after being on edge for so long you can't help but give in to the perfection of this place. Soon enough your snapped out of your head as Miss Rose returns with a large tray.}

"You two must be starving, so I made extra! Have as much as you like!"

"WOOOOW! SO MUCH!! THANK YOU MISSUS ROSE!!!"

{Bonnie cheers as they start to shovel the food onto their plate.}

"Pace yourself Bon! You're gonna get sick if you eat too much too fast!"

{They pout before scooping a little bit back from their plate. They take a bite and make a very satisfied sound at the taste.}

"Are we really staying here Nille?"

{You look up at Miss Rose, who just gives a bright smile in response.}

"At least for a little while Bon, why?"

"Does dat mean you won't cook anymore?!"

"Wh-Why do you sound so excited about that?!?"

{Miss Rose can't help but laugh as the both of you bicker about your admittedly awful cooking.}

{You hum softly as you tuck Bonnie into bed, gently rubbing their head and trying to make sure they're comfy as possible, peeking down at your makeshift cot on the floor made of the extra blankets and pillows Miss Rose gave you.}

"You doing okay Bonnie?... Do you like it here so far?"

{They give a little shrug, probably too soon to tell.}

"... I'm sorry you had to go through all of this... I know it was rough getting here..."

{They don't say anything, just rolling onto their side to turn away from you.}

"Bonnie... I-"

"I miss mommy and daddy..."

"... I'm sorry... I miss them too... The way they used to be at least..."

"Why did you stop dat sadness?"

"Wh-What?!... Wh-Why wouldn't I? It was gonna hurt you! It-"

"Wouldn't dat have been easier? No stupid kid to deal with, no reminder of your old family, n̸̜̈ó̴͖ ̸͈̏j̶̙̈́e̸͕̐a̷͒ͅl̴͉͠o̸̟͂u̷̝̐s̷̻͗y̴͙̚ ̷͈̀e̶͓͑a̷̭̓t̸͕̅i̴̤̔n̸̏͜g̴̣̈́ ̵͓͊a̷̹̿ẘ̶͎á̷ͅy̶̜̒ ̸͓͊a̷̾ͅt̸̞̉ ̸̬̒y̶͙̎o̸̟͆û̷͚."

"B... Bonnie?"

{You slowly reach your hand over to their shoulder, before they snap to face you, their face replaced with that of that blobby sadness with eyes all over it's head, each and every one of them staring wide eyed at you, piercing into your very sou-}

{You suddenly gasp awake, jolting into sitting up, panting frantically as your heart raced. You look around quickly, you're lying on the floor in your little cot in Miss Rose's guest room, bright light fighting to break through the curtains over the window. You peek over at the bed to find it empty.}

"Bonnie?!"

{You toss the blanket away that covered you, scrambling to your feet and bursting through the door.}

"BON-"

{You slide to a stop as you notice Miss Rose and Bonnie in the kitchen cooking together, both turning to look at you in your crazed state.}

"Oh Change, you look like you've just seen a ghost dear, are you alright?"

{You let out a sigh of relief, placing a hand to your face to try and compose yourself.}

"Y-Yeah... sorry... just a bad nightmare..."

{Bonnie scoops something off the counter and scurries over to you, holding it out in their disproportionate hands, a smooshed yet still delicious looking cookie.}

"We bake-a-did cookies!"

{You can't help but laugh at how crabbing adorable that was, carefully taking it and smiling, patting them on the head again as they grin proudly.}

"Thanks Bon, I think that's just what I needed right now."

{You eagerly take a bite and can't help but let out a soft groan at how delicious it is.}

"Wow, you made these?!"

"Yup!! Miss Rose helped!"

"They've got a knack for it! I just told them the recipe and they took over most of it from there!"

"That's amazing Bonnie!... Maybe you should be the one cooking for us from now on!"

"Yaaaay!! No more bad Nille food!!"

"Well you don't gotta say it like that!!!"

{Miss Rose can't help but laugh again at the both of you. You give a chuckle and sigh, before yawning heavily. Now that the adrenalines worn off you realize how tired you still are.}

"Sorry I slept in so much... what time is it anyhow?"

"5PM"

"WHAT?!"

"Heh, Sleepy Nille"

"I slept basically all day?! I-I-I'm sorry, do you need help with anything around the house? I can do the dishes, I-"

"Shhh, calm yourself Nille, you don't owe me anything, and you obviously needed rest after everything you two went through..."

{She glances over at Bonnie, who lowers their head a little... Did they talk about it while you were asleep?}

"You... You sure you don't need any help around the house?..."

"I'm sure that you need rest, and I can manage just fine on my own dearie. Now quit worrying about little old me, alright?"

{It feels... wrong? Like you should be doing something, you should be helping, you should be repaying her kindness... but you relent. You can't disagree that you're absolutely exhausted. Finally getting the chance to rest only made it all hit you like a brick.}

"Alright... But once I'm all rested up I'll do whatever I can around here, I promise."

"If you'd like to, but don't feel like you have to." {She simply states with a kind smile.}

{You toss and turn on the floor with a few grumbles. You slept for nearly an entire day, and you still feel tired, but now that it's the middle of the night you can't manage another wink of it.}

{You get sick of failing to fall back asleep and finally get back up, slowly and carefully going to the kitchen as to not wake anyone. It feels... weird, wrong even, to be snooping around like this in someone else's house, despite how much Miss Rose assured you you could treat the place as your own.}

{You look around the kitchen for the means to make some Coffee, just about the only thing you can make without inducing others to gag. You find a Vaugardian press, some coffee beans, and a mug, doing your best job to very quietly use some craft to grind the beans down and heat up some water.}

{You take a nice big whiff of your cup and sigh it back out, enjoying your first smell of it in weeks before sipping slowly. You perk up from the sound of a door creaking open, seeing Miss Rose come out of her room.}

"M-Miss Rose! I'm sorry, I didn't wake you did I?!" {You ask in a panicked, hushed shout. To which she responds with a dismissive wave of her hand.}

"Oh don't worry yourself dear, at my age you just wake up around this time." {She explained with her usual trademark smile.}

{You can't help but sigh in relief, only to tense up again when you realize you've been caught using her stuff.}

"I'll... pay you back for the coffee, or work it off or something... Sorry I didn't ask, I thought you'd be asleep and-"

"When are you gonna stop apologizing for existing?" {She asked in a sweet tone despite the sharp statement.}

"I-I... Wh..."{You're... very caught off guard by that.}

"It's alright if you need some time, old habits die hard after all." {She casually grabs a mug to have some Coffee herself as she speaks, sitting down at the table with you.}

"I just want you to know you don't have to keep it up."

"... Sor-" {You catch yourself, taking a deep breath to shake off the shock of that moment.}

"I guess it is a habit... Pretty easy to pick up when it feels like everything you do is wrong..."

"Well, so far it seems you've only done the right things since I've met you."

"Mooching off you and sleeping for a whole day?..."

"Caring for your little sibling, putting their needs above your own, accepting the generosity of a stranger even if it might hurt your pride, not to mention heeding the advice of a kind old woman!" {You share a chuckle with her over that last one.}

"... You really think I'm doing what's best for them?"

"I think the more important question is, do you?"

{You cross your arms, staying silent and thinking for a while... you really aren't even sure how you feel about that. You decide to change the subject once the silence gets to be unbearable.}

"What did Bonnie tell you by the way?... I imagine they must have mentioned something while I was passed out."

"They mentioned how you ran away from home together after a witch put an evil spell on your parents, that was clever of you." {She chuckles while you only feel awful about that trick. She must notice since she continues to get off that topic.}

"They also mentioned how a big scary sadness attacked you both, and how you didn't let it even touch them, they even said you were scarier than it was for a moment there. It sounds to me like you care a lot about them, and you wouldn't let anything bad happen to them. So yes, I think you've been trying to do what's best for them, even if you don't believe it yourself." {She explains, placing a hand on your arm.}

{You try to fight it but you can't stop the tears from coming again... You didn't realize how much you needed to hear that, pulling yourself close and hugging her tightly, sobbing into her shoulder.}

"Oh honey... it's alright dear, let it all out." {She comforts you, hugging in return and lightly rubbing your back, letting you take all the time you need in this embrace.}

{You eventually return back to your room, exhausted emotionally now and hoping to get just a little more sleep, slipping back into your little cot on the floor.}

"Mmm... Nille?"

"Sorry Bon, did I wake yah?"

"Nhm... s'okay... Thank you..."

"Thank me? What for Bonbon?"

"Miss Rose said what happened when you got real angry... She said the scary witch was trying to get you too, dat's why you were so mean... but you were tougher! Too strong for dat crabbin witch!"

"Language, Bonnie!... But she said that? Miss Rose?"

"Yeah! When I told her 'bout it all, she must know about that scary witch too!"

"Heh... Yeah... but don't worry, that scary witch can't get us here, I promise..."

"Even if she could, you'd just kick her butt!!"

"Hah! You know it Bonnie... Now let's go back to bed, alright?"

"Okay! Good night Nille."

"Night Bonnie... I love you, lil sib."

"Ewww!! Gross!"

{You can't help but snort at their reaction, reaching over to ruffle their hair teasingly.}

"Oh just shut it, you little gremlin." {You lightly tease, they stick their tongue out before giggling and turning over to try and go back to sleep, and in turn you do the same.}

Chapter Text

"Thanks Mister Cyril!"

"No problem at all Miss Nille! Give Rose my regards!"

"You got it!"

{You call to the shopkeeper as you head out with a bag filled with all the items Miss Rose sent you out to get. Now that it's been a few days, you've finally started to get settled in and help out in any way you can to repay her generosity. She mentioned something about how you "need to feel useful or you'll explode" but that's totally not true! You ignore the fact that you asked Mister Cyril if he needed help with anything now that you were running out of chores for Miss Rose, completely unrelated!}

{You make your way back to Miss Rose's place, making your way for the kitchen to start putting everything away, finding her enjoying a cup of tea there already.}

"Guess what Miss Rose!"

"Hmmm? What is it Miss Nille?"

"I asked if Mister Cyril needed help with anything around his shop and he offered me a job! Said I could help him clean out the back, organize the shelves, and he'd even pay me! Oh! And he said hi by the way!"

{Miss Rose chuckles at your excitement.}

"Thank Change, I think those dust bunnies have just about gone extinct around here. Now maybe they'll have some time to repopulate."

{You playfully stick your tongue out at her teasing.}

"Haha, very funny. Excuse me for being a bit antsy after spending a few days resting... Oh! Where's Bonnie by the way? Did they end up going to that Change place or whatever?"

"Yes, have you met Olivia yet? She's one of the fishers. One of her kids came by and invited them. You should check it out yourself sometime, plenty to do there, plenty to learn, lots of stuff to do with those idle hands of yours."

"That does sound pretty neat, maybe once I'm done helping Mister Cyril! Any idea when Bon'll be back though?"

"I told them to be back for dinner, but otherwise not really."

"Was there anything else you needed help with then?" {You ask as you finish putting away the supplies and groceries you got.}

"Please spare my poor duster, I don't think it could take anymore! {You give a playful pout in response.}

"Hah! No dear, I'm fine, go on and help Cyril if you like."

"Alright, see yah tonight Miss Rose!"

{Mister Cyril takes you into the back of his shop, revealing the absolute mess of stock, scrap, crates, trash, etc.}

"Woah..."

"Yeah... Sorry it's such a disaster back here, I understand if you'd rather not-"

"No no! It's fine, I can still help!"

"Hah! Well if you're sure then, I know it's a big job so I'll pay you well for it. Just get rid of as much trash as you can, try and organize the stock a bit if you can, stack the empty crates over here, and if there's anything you're not sure about just feel free to ask me!" {He explains while gesturing about the place.}

"Alright, I think I got it!"

"Splendid, I'll leave you to it then, oh, and help yourself to any drinks and food you like!" {He offers before heading back up front to manage the store.}

{You get to work, dealing with the trash and empty crates first to help clear space.}

{You got into a nice rhythm, working up a sweat but making quicker work of it all than you'd expected. Before you know it you're already half way do-}

CRASH

{You tripped and fell to the ground, shattering a crate filled with jars of preserves, really nice looking ones too...}

"Oh no... oh crab oh crab oh crab... no no no no no!"

"Miss Nille?! Are you oka-" {Mister Cyril rushes to the back, finding you on the floor, and all the broken jars beside you.}

"I-I'm sorry! I-I'll pay you back, O-Or I can try to fix them, o-o-or!-"

"Hey hey hey, woah, it's alright Nille, it's just some food is all. Are you alright? You didn't hurt yourself when you fell?" {He asks, carefully looking over you, not seeming to care about the broken stock at all.}

"Y-Yeah... I... I'm fine... You... you're not mad?..."

"Of course not, I've dropped plenty back here, that mess was getting worse by the day, quite the tripping hazard, my own fault really. I'm just glad you're okay, dear!... H-Hey! What's wrong?!" {He asks in a bit of a panic.}

{You don't understand what has him spooked until you feel the tears rolling down your cheeks... You're crying again. You sniffle and quickly try to wipe your eyes.}

"N-Nothing! I-I just... I-I..." {You can't stop it as your words catch in your throat. You continue to try and wipe your eyes only for more tears to pour out.}

"S-Sorry." {Is all you can manage to choke out.}

{You feel his hand rest on your shoulder, giving a reassuring squeeze.}

"You've got nothing to apologize for Miss Nille. Change, I should be thanking you! It's already looking much better back here! Why don't you call it here for today? I'll clean up the mess, you can rest back here as long as you like, alright?"

{You nod, as you can't manage to speak anymore. You gently lay your head onto his shoulder, pulling him into a tight hug. His arms wrap around you too, patting your back lightly.}

"There there, dear. You don't gotta worry about that nasty witch anymore!" {You choke out a surprised laugh through your tears, struggling to take a deep breath to try and speak again.}

"M-Miss Rose t-told you?" {You ask through your light laughing cry.}

"That she did! Sorry you had to find out this way, but she's a terrible gossip!" {You choke out another chuckle, slowly pulling away from his embrace.}

"Th-Thank you... I-I'll just need a minute..."

"Take all the time you need, dear." {He says with a bright smile, squeezing your shoulder again before heading back up front.}

{You lean against the wall, sliding to sit down on the floor, hugging your legs close to yourself... You stop holding back and let yourself cry, just wanting to let it all out.}

{You're not sure how long you've been back here when the door starts to open up. You quickly wipe your mostly dried tears as you snap out of your dissociation.}

"Oh, s-sorry, I lost track of time..."

"Still apologizing for existing I see." {You perk up, turning to see Miss Rose standing at the door.}

"... What are you doing here?" {You asked in a defeated tone, looking back down at the ground.}

"I wanted to come see the great work you were doing. I've seen this back room plenty of times, but this is the first time I can actually see the floor!" {She announces with a laugh, you can't help but chuckle lightly as well. She carefully leans against the wall to slide down and sit beside you on the floor.}

"I know the saying is to not cry over spilled milk, but I think it applies to jam too." {She jokes, placing her hand on your shoulder.}

"So do you wanna talk about it?"

"... I thought I ruined everything again..." {You speak softly, hugging your legs closer to yourself.}

"Again?"

"Everything used to be perfect... I was their special little girl... then I started making mistakes... I started getting overly emotional... I felt like I couldn't do anything right anymore and they were always mad at me... And then they replaced me. They had a new perfect little kid to give all their love to... and I was just the mistake..."

"Oh, Nille dear... you're not a mistake. In fact, in the short time I've known you, I can tell what an amazing young woman you are. All that strength in your heart, so eager to give and to help. I couldn't imagine how tough it was to do what you did to save Bonnie and yourself from your parents. If anyone's a mistake, it's those two, and if I had the chance I'd make sure they knew it!" {She declares with a playfully threatening fist. You both share a laugh again as your eyes start to well up once more.}

"Y-You really think so?..."

"No dear, I know so. Come on, let's get back home, I've got a mousse recipe I haven't had in forever that's simply to die for. You can come back and finish up here tomorrow if you still wanna." {You sniffle and wipe your tears before nodding in response. You slowly get back up off the floor and help her up as well before heading to leave the shop, waving lightly to Mister Cyril.}

"Th-Thank you Mister Cyril, I'll take care of the rest tomorrow, alright?"

"Of course, Miss Nille! Take as much time as you need though, it's no trouble!" {You flash a light smile in return of his kindness before walking back home with Miss Rose.}

{You sit in a small fishing boat with Miss Olivia, one of the town's anglers, a slight ways off the shore. The cool ocean breeze, the gentle rolling waves, the birds flying overhead, it's all just so... boriiiiiiiing!}

"Uuughhh, I'm so booored! I thought you needed my help with something."

"I did! You're keeping my company! It gets a bit lonely out here all day long."

"I'll say... No one but the fish to keep you company, huh?"

"Yup! And you might not believe it, but they're terrible at conversation!" {You snicker a bit.}

{You glance back at the shore, just barely able to make out the silhouettes of Bonnie and Miss Olivia's kids playing together on the beach. They sure seem to be having a lot more fun than you at the moment.}

"How does this not drive you crazy? Just sitting out here, holding a pole, waiting for change knows how long for a bite?"

"Well there's your problem, you're not supposed to focus on the waiting part!"

"But isn't that what you're out here to do? Catch Fish?"

"I like to think of it differently. I'm out here to breathe it all in, take in the world and enjoy its beautiful majesty! Catching fish is just a nice side effect of it!" {She laughs, you tilt your head as you don't quite understand.}

"So you just sit out here to... look at the world? That just sounds even more boring."

"Go on, try it, just shut everything else out and let your senses take over. The smells, the sounds, the sights, try focusing on one at a time." {She instructs, before closing her eyes and taking a deeeeep breath through her nose as an example.}

{You roll your eyes a bit, but decide to humor her. You close your eyes and take in a long breath, getting every bit of that ocean air you can. It's briny, almost stings a bit even, but it lingers in an oddly pleasant way... You hear the waves gently crashing around you, rocking the boat ever so slightly. The birds squawking as they drift on the air, the same cool breeze that flows over your body.}

"Huh... I guess it is kinda nice..."

"Now take a peek."

{Your eyes slowly open, glancing out into the distant sea line. It looks endless, the water reflecting the sun high in the sky like a mirror. The only thing interrupting the seamless illusion was the large island of a nearby nation. Lightless sand contrasting the bright sky on the horizon.}

"Real gorgeous, ain't it?"

"Yeah... Guess I never really cared to look too close before..."

"A little patience goes a long way, helps you appreciate the little things! Like the ocean!" {She lets out a cackle at her joke, which you can't help but snort in response to. You let out a happy little sigh and settle in to continue your shared 'world experiencing', while occasionally catching a fish.}

"So you really built all these homes by yourself?" {You ask, watching Mx Dimitri, the town's carpenter, trim a massive log down into lumber. They made it look like they could do this in their sleep.}

"What? Oh no no no, Miss Nille. I couldn't possibly do such a thing, I'd still be on the third house if that were the case!" {He laughs at the idea, yet still keeps their Craft steady while he works.}

"But you're the town's only Carpenter, ain'tcha? Who else would have done it?"

"Why the people in those homes of course. And the ones next to them, and the ones next to those. They aren't kidding when they say 'it takes a village' y'know?"

"So... When you start making a new building, everyone just comes out to help?"

"Not everyone, but plenty do. Those who are the most able and willing. Sometimes too many people come and some just stand around with no room to help!" {He chuckles some more, not taking their eyes off their work while you both talk.}

"You can have too many helpers?!"

"Certainly! Have you ever heard the saying 'too many cooks in the kitchen'? Imagine a small kitchen, Rose's for instance, that could hold a few people comfortably, but now imagine 20 people packed into it trying to help make dinner."

"... Yeah I can see why that might be a problem."

"That being said though, it does take quite a few people to build a house quickly. When my great grandpa first settled here, him and a few others were the only able bodied hands to build it. Took them a couple months for each house, and from what I heard he was even more skilled with this Craft than I am!"

"And it still took that long?! How long does it take y'all here?" {With how easy Mx Dimitri made it look, you'd figure he could finish one in an afternoon!}

"Well the last few took just under a month each. Easily 20 of us working on it together."

"Wow... I would have guessed you could just do this in your sleep with how good you are."

"Hah! I wish! Napping on the job wouldn't be so frowned upon!" {You both share a laugh at that one.}

"But my skills can only do so much. Even if I can do this thrice as fast as anyone else, if I have 3 people helping me, suddenly it takes half as long. 6 more and it'll be half as long as that. It may be diminishing returns, but every bit counts. Every pair of hands helping is spreading the weight. My Great Grandpa was a very proud man, but he never quite learned that lesson." {You lower your head a bit, looking down at your own hands as he goes on.}

"So what happened to him? I mean... besides the obvious?" {Mx Dimitri laughs lightly at your stumbling words, clearly knowing you didn't mean any harm.}

"Well, he outlived his hands, all that Craft with little to no rest can't be good for your body. He may have been one of the best Carpenters this world ever knew, but from what my Dad and Gramps told me, he wasn't so excited to have that title without the hands to prove it anymore..."

"I guess being the best doesn't mean much when you can't do it anymore, huh?..."

"Precisely. So that taught me three things. Firstly, you should have pride in your work, he was definitely right about that at the very least. Secondly, that being said, it shouldn't be the only thing that matters." {They go quiet as he focuses on the wood for a seemingly more difficult portion. You stay silent, so as to not distract them until they finally finish it off and let out a satisfied sigh, admiring his own handy work.}

"... And the third thing?"

"Hmmm? Oh! Right, sorry, got a bit too in the zone there!" {He laughs, then smiling down at you very brightly.}

"Never be afraid to accept help from others. Now, let's get you a log and I'll show you some tricks!" {You smile back, feeling the excitement rushing through you as you can't wait to try out his Craft.}

Knock Knock Knock

"I'll get it!" {You quickly jump up reflexively, heading from the dinner table towards the front door.}

"That's Odd..."

"What? That you've got a visitor? You've always got people barging-..." {You stop in your tracks, realizing that in all the time you've been here, the only knocks you've heard have been your own...}

{You slowly creep to the door as quietly as you can, pressing your eye close to the peephole to see two figures dressed in official looking Mwudu garbs, a man and woman. The man knocks again with a heavier fist.}

"Who is it?" {You call loudly through the door.}

"We're here on official business, looking for a couple of kids from Mwudu, Petronille and Boniface Deklam. We heard they were staying here." {You feel your heart ready to beat out of your chest, your hands are shaking as you swallow the heavy knot in your throat. You look to Miss Rose and Bonnie, mouthing and gesturing for her to hide your sibling.}

{The two of them quickly get to work, Rose instructing them to be as quiet as possible and taking them into her own room to hide somewhere. Once they're safely out of view you move your shaky hand to the door knob and twist it open, revealing yourself to them.}

"What do you want..."

"Petronille Deklam I presume, where's your sibling?"

"I found a better place for them. Now what do you want?" {You keep a brave face on, hard as a rock despite your insides twisting in fear. Your heart sinks as the man holds up a pair of manacles.}

"You're hereby under arrest for kidnapping Boniface Deklam."

"I beg your pardon?!" {Miss Rose shouts as she approaches, pulling the door open further to reveal herself, Bonnie nowhere to be found thankfully.}

"You heard him ma'am, you've been harboring a fugitive. If you'd please just let us know where the child is, we can bring them back to their par-"

"Oh I'll show you a fugitive alright! You dare come to my home and threaten my girl like that?!" {… Her girl?... The woman holds up a piece of paper, wax seal and everything, very official looking.}

"We're just stating facts ma'am, now you can tell us where the kid is and come along peacefully, or we can do this the hard way." {The woman states, placing her other hand over a sheathed blade for emphasis. The man clenches his fists as well... you recognize a fellow rock craft brawler's fists when you see them, and one a lot more experienced than you obviously...}

"The hard way?! You're just going to threaten an old woman and a teena-"

"Miss Rose!" {You interrupt, placing a still shaking hand on her arm.}

"It's okay... please don't put yourself in danger for my sake... I made a choice... a-and now it's time to face the consequences..."

"Nille!? You can't just let them take you!"

"Y-You've shown me so much kindness while I've been here..." {You sniffle as tears start to well up in your eyes.}

"A-And I don't think I could live with myself... if-... if anything happened to you 'cause of me..." {Your voice trembles along with your body... You pull her into a close hug, sniffling as you struggle to whisper to her.}

"Thank you so much... for everything... please take care of them..." {You finally pull away, turning back to the others and forcing a deep breath.}

"Promise me you'll leave her alone if I go peacefully... I'll take you to Bonnie too..."

"We promise." {The woman responds. The man rolls his eyes, but relents with a nod. You hold out your wrists before he shackles them.}

"Alright, let's get going, I'm sick of this damned rodent infested country." {The man grumbled, tugging at the chains a bit to lead you along. You turn back to Miss Rose, giving her the best smile you can muster right now, tears still flowing. She looks on in horror, looking just as helpless as you feel right now...}

"Nille... please don't do this..."

"It's okay Miss Rose... I'll never forget what you did for us..."

{You sit in the back of their cage-like wagon, still shackled as the chain that lead you is now wrapped around one of the bars lining the vehicle to prevent you from escaping.}

"What do you mean you don't know where they are?!"

"I told you, someone took them, and I specifically didn't want to know where they went..."

"We know they were here recently, someone mentioned seeing the both of you yesterday!"

"One of the other kids here, they took a liking to me, likes to follow me arou-"

"STOP LYING!!!" {The man slams his fist into one of the bars near your head. When his fist pulls back, a massive dent is left in its place.}

"You're not good at it!"

"So this is what you do? You arrest kids and threaten them with violence?" {You retort, your composure flimsy but holding for now.}

"You know you're old enough to be tried as an adult, right?"

"Clearly if I only cared about my own well being, we wouldn't all be here now, would we?" {The man lets out a growl before storming off a few paces, likely to avoid smacking you.}

"Uh oh... Looks like we got company." {The woman mentions. You glance upwards seeing dozens of figures approaching. You blink a couple of times in disbelief... the whole town?... Everyone you've met while you've been here, even some you haven't yet... At the front is Miss Rose and Mister Cyril.}

"Move along everyone, official Mwudu business, got the papers to prove it."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to confirm that?" {One of the people you hadn't met yet approaches the front. An older man dressed in a more professional manner than most in the town.}

"And who might you be?"

"Gabriel Roux, I'm a lawyer, retired now but I still tend to dabble for fun. Might I?" {He asks, having walked up to your captors. The man rolls his eyes but nods to the woman before she hands the paper to Mister Gabriel... After an eternity of silence of him skimming over it, he finally hands it back to the woman.}

"Just as I thought. According to Vaugardian Foreign Policy, warrants from other countries are to be acknowledged, but not necessarily enforced. What you have there, for all intents and purposes, is a sternly worded letter at best. Now I suggest you let her go, or I'll be seeing you in court... if you make it that far." {He adds at the end, nodding to the mob of people, armed and just waiting to act if necessary.}

"Damned rabbit lawyers... always getting in the way.... Fine!" {The man grumbles to himself, rubbing his temples. He walks back over to you, opening the cart up and undoing your shackles.}

"You're lucky they're paying half for information." {He snaps at Mister Gabriel. You're still stunned in disbelief as you slowly stumble back out of the cart. They quickly start to make their leave once you’re out. You look at the crowd, dumbfounded, before Miss Rose practically tackles you with a hug.}

"Oh Change, Nille, sweetie, are you okay?! I ran and got everyone as fast as I could, I'm just so glad we got here in time!" {You slowly wrap your arms back around her, still just shaking heavily.}

"Y-You... you all came?... to help me?..."

"Of course we did! We weren't just gonna let them take you away!!" {Mister Cyril walks up behind her, placing a hand on each of your backs before starting to speak.}

"You're a Bambouchian now Nille, and we stick together, watch out for each other. And once you're one of us, you're stuck that way, no cure I'm afraid!" {You choke out a little laugh in your stunned, now sobbing state, wiping away some of your tears.}

"As long we're here, we won't let anything happen to you, or Bonnie for that matter."

"Th-Thank you... all of you..." {You let every last bit of composure you had go as you hug her oh so tight, sobbing into her shoulder. Every last bit of relief you felt when you first arrived all flooding back into you... you really were safe at last...}

Chapter Text

"Hey, Miss Rose?... Can I uhh... talk to you about something?" {You ask as you find her sitting on the couch reading a book. You sit down beside her after she puts the book down.}

"Of course dear! What's troubling yah?"

"Well... I was uhh... still thinking about those Mwudu folks and everything that happened last week..." {You stumble over your words, struggling to approach the topic while twiddling your thumbs.}

"Are you worried about them coming back? They don't have any legal jurisdiction here, and you know none of us would let them do anything even if they did!" {She gives a bright, reassuring smile, jokingly putting up her fists. You can't help but chuckle a bit.}

"I-I know, it's not that... uhm... It's about something you said actually..."

"Oh?... I didn't make you uncomfortable or anything, did I? I was getting pretty heated so-"

"Oh, no no no! Nothing bad! I-I.... You... you said 'my girl' when you were shouting at them..."

"Oh... I guess I did, didn't I?" {She looks a little shocked, you guess she didn't realize it until this moment.}

"Y-Yeah... A-And I was thinking... I never really... liked the last name 'Deklam'... it feels especially wrong now... S-So I was wondering... what your last name is?" {She lets out a soft laugh in response to how awkwardly you danced around the idea.}

"It's Zabor. And if you're saying what I think you are, I'd be honored to share it with you." {She hugs you close before your own arms wrap tightly around her.}

"I can't thank you enough, Miss Rose... for everything..."

"It's been my pleasure Miss Nille Zabor. I'm so honored to have such an amazing young woman as a part of my life."

"We're back!" {You call out as you enter your home with Bonnie sitting on your shoulders, ducking down to make sure they don't bonk their head.}

"Welcome home! How was the House?" {Rose calls out from the kitchen, peeking over as she takes a break from the stew she was working on.}

"Oh it was amazing! They had so many classes and cool things to do and learn and try?! I couldn't believe there was all that in there, especially for a smaller place like this! Bonnie spent most of the time in the kitchen, as to be expected."

"We made Eek-layers!"

"Heh, it's eclairs, Bon."

"Yeah! Those!"

"That's wonderful! I'll have to try one if the amazing little chef Bonnie made it!" {They give a little giggle before you lift them off of you and set them back down. They pull their pack off to take out whatever leftovers they still had, offering one to both of you.}

"It's my tastiest yet!" {They proudly declare before chomping messily into their own. You're inclined to agree after a delightful bite, and Rose's reaction seems to have her leaning that way too.}

"Incredible kiddo! Better than any I've made!" {She lightly ruffles their hair as their face lights up proudly.}

"How about you Nille? What did you get up to today?"

"I barely knew where to start! There was just so much! I signed up for a bunch of them going on later. I saw Mx Dimitri was hosting a carpentry class too so figured I'd work with him a bit more! Oh! And there's a smithing class going on later that looked really fun!"

"I'm glad you're taking a liking to it! Who knows, with how fast a learner you are, maybe you'll end up teaching a class there soon enough!"

"I don't know about all that, but at least it'll give me more to do!"

"Have you ever tried just sitting and relaxing? Reading a book once in a while?"

"Once or twice, got bored!" {You half joke, chuckling some.}

"Come on, I'm a growing gal, I've got too much energy for all that!"

"So be it, just know your body might have appreciated a bit more down time once you reach my age."

"Well thankfully I got plenty of time then!"

"And what's that supposed to mean?" {She asks with a playful crossing of her arms.}

"Nothing~!"

"Heh... Nilly called you old."

"You're not supposed to say it out loud bon!" {You all enjoy a hearty laugh together before settling in for dinner.}

"Happy Birthday, Bonnie!"
"Happy Birthday, Bonnie!"

{You and Rose shout in unison as you set out the large cake on the table in front of them, 4 lit candles sticking out of it. They tilt their head, looking over the delicious looking dessert.}

"What's this?"

"A birthday cake! Apparently they celebrate those here, and don't worry I didn't have any part in making that." {You stick your tongue out, knowing they were gonna ask. They just grin and giggle a bit.}

"I can't believe they don't do anything special for your birthdays over in Mwudu, how do you even remember them if there's nothing to look forward to?"

"Calendars, mostly. Plus there's often paperwork junk you gotta do, definitely more of a chore than a party."

"I'm amazed you didn't leave that horrid place sooner." {Rose joked, gently elbowing your side. You chuckle a little and wrap an arm around her in a side hug.}

"Well we're here now, that just means we got a lotta catching up to do for all my birthdays!"

"SUPER BIRTHDAY!"

"Yeah! A super birthday!"

"I don't know if I have enough candles for that!"

{You all share a big laugh before settling in to enjoy the lovely cake Rose made.}

"Oh, Rose! I forgot to tell you, Dimitri asked me to help him on a new house!"

"Did they now? That's wonderful!"

"Yeah! Guess there must be some new folks moving in soon, but they said I could help design it even! He'll be there to make sure I don't make any silly choices or whatever but I can sorta make it my own!"

"He must have really taken a shine to you, they're usually a real perfectionist about it all, hard to get him to let go of the lead sometimes."

"Cyril was right, you are a total gossip~!"

"I'm just good at reading people! That's all!"

"Well I'll be sure not to mention your little book review when we get started."

"Hah! Appreciated!"

{You wipe your brow of sweat as you take a breather, leaning the saw against the wall after carving a few smooth and even planks of wood. The sun was high yet the breeze was cool. You were enjoying working outside of Dimitri's house to help with the supplies needed for the new house y'all were planning, taking quite a lot of care and pride in your work.}

"Miss Nille!"

{You look over towards the voice, smiling bright and waving as you see a familiar face, the town's mailman heading towards you.}

"Oh, Hey Mister Leon! Can I help you with something?"

"Actually I've got a letter for you, thought you'd be at Rose's place but she sent me here for you."

"A... A letter? For me?" {You blinked a couple of times, absolutely confused as you couldn't imagine who would be sending you something that couldn't just hand deliver it to you themself.}

"Yes, but... It's from Mwudu." {He explains, knowing that might not be the best news for you. You almost need to brace yourself as you look down at it... Seeing your old home as the return address, as well as your old last name... You must have been staring at it for a while as Leon finally speaks up.}

"I uhh... Have more stuff to deliver... Sorry Nille, Good luck."

"... Thank you Leon..."

{You spend a short while longer just staring at the letter, your full name penned on the front of it in your father's handwriting... You eventually gather your tools, clean up, and head back home.}

"Thank you..." {You mumbled softly out of reflex as Rose sets down a cup of tea for you. You're still just staring at the letter as you sit at the dinner table with her.}

"So, you gonna open it?" {She asks as she places a hand on your shoulder.}

"... I don't know... It's not like it's gonna be anything good, right?"

"Based on everything you've told me, I'd say that's pretty unlikely, yes."

"But what if it's real bad? What if they're coming to take Bonnie back? What if-"

"What if you're letting your worries get the better of you?"

"... Y'know, you're really annoying when you're always right." {You grumble some as she lets out a hearty laugh. You take a deep breath and heavily sigh it back out, holding the letter out to her.}

"Can you read it?... Please? Just to make sure it's not something we need to worry about?" {She takes it with a nod and reassuring smile, squeezing your shoulder softly for comfort.}

"Of course dear. So you don't wanna know what it says? You sure?"

"As long as it's not something like, they're coming soon to get Bonnie, then yeah, I'm pretty sure..." {She nods and carefully opens the envelope, unfolding the letter and beginning to read it. You carefully watch her face, looking for any sign as to what it might say... Her face remains as emotionless as she can manage. Before long, she folds it back up and places it back into the envelope, turning back to you.}

"So you're sure you don't want to know what it says?"

"As long as it's not a threat to us... yes... I'm sure." {She goes over to a drawer to collect something before walking back over and sitting next to you. She hands you back the letter, and holds out a match.}

"I promise nothing in that letter implies any sort of threat to yours and Bonnie's safety. So if you really want it gone, the choice is yours."

{You stare back down at the letter... then the match... You lift them both up, feeling your stomach turn as the fear of what the letter contained kept eating at you from the inside out.}

"... Do you think I'd want to know what this letter says?"

"I promise you it's not a threat, and I promise you they didn't magically redeem themselves... the rest is your choice dear, not mine."

{You stare a while longer... as if your eyes bore into the letter's very core... and finally you strike the match, bringing it to the letter and watching it burst into a brilliant flame before your eyes... You shake the match to put it out, sighing as a bit of a weight was lifted off of you.}

"Thank you..."

"Anytime, dear."

{You climb back down from the roof, having just finished installing the last of it. You take a step back, admiring the handiwork of yourself and everyone else who helped out. Dimitri stands next to you, placing an arm around your shoulders and smiling brightly.}

"How's it feel to have finished your first house!?"

"I can't believe we're already done! It's only been a couple months since we started!"

"I told you, a whole village worth of help is a priceless thing."

"I'll say... So, who's this house for anyways? Don't think I met them yet!"

"Oh you have... in a way~." {He says with a sly tone, simply grinning at you. You blink a couple of times before you start to realize...}

"W-Wait... Is this... This whole time?! This was for Bon and me?!"

"I thought you'd try your hardest if you were doing it for someone else, sorry to keep it a secret for so long." {You pout and playfully punch them in the arm.}

"Hey! I'd have still worked hard on it!... Y'know... for Bonnie!" {You really can't blame him for that, they really did have a point...}

"Hah! That's true, but then you might skimp out on your portion of the place!" {You pout some more, as you definitely can't dispute that part.}

"Fine, fine, you're right, that was pretty clever of you... Wait! So we have a house now?! Our own house?! C-Can I even own a house?!"

"I don't see why not? You've certainly proven yourself as a responsible young woman, and it's not like you won't still have all of us here anyways."

"Oh sweet Change, I... I don't even know where to start?! What do you do when you own a house? We need furniture, right? A-And... utensils?... What else do people own?!" {You start to freak out a little from the extreme excitement and surprise overwhelming you, Mxter Dimitri just laughs and pats your back.}

"Shhh, shhh, it's okay Nille! It's not like you gotta move in tomorrow, Rose will be happy to let you stay as long as you like, and I'm sure you'll be spending plenty of time at her place regardless. Your house will be here for you whenever you and Bonnie are ready for it, and if you need any help getting it ready, you know we're all here for yah." {You nod, trying to calm your racing heart.}

"R-Right... Thank you Mxter Dimitri... for everything." {You pull him into a hug him nice and tight. He hugs back, lightly rubbing your back.}

"Anytime, Miss Nille."

{You give a heavy, defeated sigh as you walk back to Rose's house, holding Bonnie's hand as their other one was over their mouth, trying to keep from laughing anymore. You've only been moved in for a week now, and already had to mess it up... You try not to beat yourself up too much about it, but it's still pretty crabbing embarrassing... You notice Rose out front of her house, tending to her little garden. She notices you approaching, smiling bright as always and waving.}

"Hey there you two!... Something wrong, dear?" {She asks, noticing the defeated look on your face.}

"Can we... move back in for a little while?..." {You ask, nervously rubbing at your elbow. You know the answer already, but it still feels crabby to have to ask for it.}

"You know you both are welcome anytime, but what happened?" {She starts to look rather concerned for you.}

"So... you know that blacksmithing class I was taking?... And that really big hammer I was working on?..."