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“Do you ever wonder if others think the same as you about the silly little things?”
Ivory blinked, Serapter’s voice pulling her out of her own repetitive silence. She turned her head to look at him, who was looking up at the starry sky that lay low but oh so far away. They were on the roof, which had become a part of their nightly routine. Truly, any smart person would tell them that it wasn’t smart in any way to be up this late when there was so much work to be done each morning.
They needed their own fun, though. This world wasn’t forgiving, and neither was this house. To have something special was all that they could ask for.
“How do you mean?” Ivory’s voice came out only above a whisper, her throat scratchy and dry with lack of use. It made her flinch slightly
“Like, I dunno, we’re out here under the stars, and I’m thinking about how that part looks almost like a cat chasing a milkman. I just wonder if anyone has ever looked up at the same place and thought the exact thing, y’know?” he pointed at it, gesturing.
Ivory tried to lean her head towards where Serapter was looking, trying to find what he saw. She squinted until she did indeed see it. However.
She giggled under her breath, “Where did you get the milkman from?”
“Well…he just looks like he would be one! It doesn’t matter, I’m just using an example,” Serapter said, huffing a dramatic sigh.
“I think I understand, though,” Ivory added.
“Yeah?”
“Wanting community in things that are seemingly solitary. It brings a sense of… comfort, sometimes.”
Serapter looked at her, raising an eyebrow, “Yeah.”
Ivory was unsure if she was being judged in that moment or not, but swallowed down any apologies on the tip of her tongue. Serapter and Sir Pyrosythe had both expressed that they didn’t understand her profuse apologizing. So she sat in the silence that came, looking back up at the stars.
She tended not to understand the people around her. Serapter, however… it was different. Even if she didn’t fully, she felt almost on the cusp of it, usually. There was always like there was some unspoken thing, a wall, stopping others from letting themselves in. Maybe it was her own words or stand-offish behavior that pushed others away.
But Serapter didn’t leave. He did the opposite, trying to get to know her better after the incident had broken out and there had been accusations thrown at her left and right.
He wanted to be her friend. Even if she didn’t know how to approach it or even talk. She didn’t feel pressured to say things she didn’t want to just to keep a conversation with no end going.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Serapter asked.
“…I don’t have a penny.”
A pause.
“I’m just asking what’s on your mind,” he laughed quietly.
“Oh,” Ivory acknowledged with a nod. “I’m…unsure. A lot of things are.”
“Uncomfortable with sharing?” Serapter asked.
“No, just…I guess I wanted to say thank you.”
“For what?"
Ivory fidgeted with the fray on her sleeve, “For being nice. I know I’m not the easiest to be around sometimes, and—”
“Woah, hey,” Serapter interrupted her, twisting her direction. “If you’re under some impression that I’m like, being force to be nice to you or something, that is furthest from the truth. I like hanging out.”
Ivory looked over at him before diverting her eyes. “Yes, sir—”
An eyebrow raise.
"-raptor.”
“I mean it. I know there’s been a lot that’s happened in such short amount of time, and I know that it’s caused a lot of distress on your end. I wish I could help more than I have. I don’t mind that you struggle with understanding things sometimes, if that’s your fear. I’ll say it to you till you believe it if you don’t,” Serapter said, looking very serious, eyebrows furrowed.
“Okay,” Ivory nodded slowly, “I still do appreciate you caring, though. I’d…do the same for you.”
“Always,” he grinned. “Now, it’s getting pretty late, so we should probably head in for the night.”
Ivory hummed in agreement, sitting up, and following Serapter's example in how he climbed down.
She took one last glance at the sky, eyes lingering at the clouds now covering the stars. She crawled back inside.