{Dianne nods again, sitting still so Armin can finish tending her wounds.}

Dianne: "...Thank you, Armin...You're a good friend..."

'You're welcome,' Armin replied simply. Done with cleaning her wounds, he put everything away and closed the medkit before turning back to her. 'Esme's going to grow up, have a happy life, and become an adventurer like me. Just you watch.'

He hesitated for a moment, then tentatively wrapped one arm around her and pulled her into a hug.

{Dianne willingly embraces the hug, wrapping her arms around Armin. She says nothing, simply taking comfort in the embrace.}

Armin remained quietly sitting there, holding onto her. He rubbed her back a little with one hand - albeit very lightly, being mindful of the bruising.

With an inquisitive squeak, Esme left the front seat and came over to join them, sitting on the edge of the blankets. She knew something had happened, something that involved her, but she certainly didn't know what Dianne had done to the ice dragon - which was definitely a good thing.

(Calvin is ded. Rest in pieces, you psychotic bast.ard)

{Dianne looks down at Esme, smiling at her through her tears. She gently rocks herself with Armin, slowly calming down. After a while, she lets him go.}

Dianne: "Thank you for that, Armin. I feel better now."

(Calvin the evil ice man
Rest in decomposition
???? - 2020)

'That's good,' said Armin. He slowly moved off to sit on his own blankets, glancing at Esme as he went. For the first time, he noticed how she'd grown. She was still only about the size of a housecat, but she had gotten a few inches taller since they'd met her, and her wingspan was much wider.

He leaned against the wall, gazing contemplatively towards the side window and saying nothing.

(Eh, he had it coming.)

{Dianne proceeds to lie down under her blankets. The fight had left her a bit tired. Looking over at Esme, she raises a brow.}

Dianne: "Hm. She sure does grow fast..."

Armin shifted his gaze back to Esme for a moment. 'Yeah, I just noticed... Imagine how big she's going to be in a year if she keeps growing at the same speed. She wouldn't fit in your house... unless she's learned to shift by then...'

Dianne: "Well, Forde knew how to shift, so I'm sure she'll pick up on it eventually. And if not, there are other human transformation spells available."

{She looks at Esme contemplatively.}

Dianne: "Remind me to keep her away from Ivy. I don't want her teaching Esme questionable behaviors."

'Oh yes, I know her /species/ is capable of shifting. I'm just not sure what age she'll learn it...'

Armin looked up at Dianne, smirking.

'Hey, I thought you wanted Ivy to be the one to watch her while we clean up the hunters?'

Dianne: "Yeah, because we have no other choice. But, later in life, I'd like to limit contact between them. No little girl of mine is going to grow up to be a gold digging harlot."

Armin chuckled slightly. 'Understandable. I'd keep Ivy away from my kids, too, if I had any. If they ever have to be together, just keep an eye on them. I don't think Ivy's stupid enough to teach Esme anything bad while you're watching.'

Dianne: "Yes. Even she's not that stupid. I hope."

{Dianne sighs and closes her eyes.}

Dianne: "I swear, if she screws this up..."

'What, babysitting Esme? I'm sure they'll be fine. Ivy must know not to let Esme get hurt under her watch.' //And if she doesn't seem to be taking the responsibility seriously enough, I could always mention what happened to that ice dragon...// Armin mused.

Dianne: "I hope so. I don't think the others would be happy with me if I were to break her spine...I'd feel better if it was Rex, just based on what you've told me about him, but...It's his decision on whether or not to join the fighting. Barnabas can't do it because I need him with me. Ivy really is our only option."

'When we get back, I'll ask Rex if he can do it,' said Armin, sounding a bit grim. 'I really, really don't want him on the battlefield. It's bad enough that you and Fred are going to be there, in danger. If I can limit the number of loved ones I'll be worrying about during the battle, it'll be a weight off my mind. But Rex won't want to stay behind, worrying about /me,/ either... so I don't know how I'll convince him...'

Dianne: "...I don't suppose that my word means anything to him, so if I promise to keep you safe, I don't think he'd take any comfort from that...Well, it'll be worth a try..."

'We'll have to see about that. I kind of doubt it would reassure him, because of his paranoia if nothing else...' Armin paused. 'Anyway, how can you promise to keep me alive? You're going to be fighting for your own life as it is.'

Dianne: "...By excluding you from the fight entirely...Paxton wants me, not you. You shouldn't have to risk your life for me...None of you should."

'Yeah, not happening,' said Armin. 'I won't bite off more than I can chew - I'm aware of my own limitations - but I have to be involved /somehow./ I'm not going to sit back and do nothing while you're off fighting. Your life means more to me than that.' He shifted slightly and cleared his throat. 'I don't want Rex to worry about me, but I'm not going to just abandon you, either.'

{Dianne opens an eye, looking over at Armin.}

Dianne: "...Alright...the only way we can guarantee making it out alive is by working together. We fight together, watch each other's backs, and see it out to the end. I don't want to lose you either..."

'Of course. I'll stick close to you,' said Armin confidently. 'I'll be relying on you to protect me from anyone too strong for me to beat, and in return, I'll focus my efforts on keeping light weapons away from you. We won't be on our own, either - we'll have Barnabas and the draugrs, and Fred has told me that he'll be doing something too.'

Dianne: "Yes. Together, I'm sure we can do it...."

{She closes her eyes again, sleepily sighing, dozing off into a light sleep.}

Armin glanced over at her for a moment. Then he leaned back against the wall, eyes unfocused as he drifted into various thoughts.

//I hope she doesn't have nightmares later tonight... Esme nearly dying could be a trigger for them...//

(Shall we skip to evening?)

(Yes, you start.)

----

Dusk had begun to fall. Armin was currently sitting in the front passenger seat to get a better view of the scenery rushing by out the window. He assumed that Titan would stop somewhere for them to hunt, and was wondering where it might be.

Esme was in the back of the truck, playing with Armin's coat, which he had left discarded on the floor earlier. She kept pouncing on it like she was trying to kill prey.

{Dianne wakes with a gasp, as if she was holding her breath. She sat up, looking alarmed. She looks around, bleary and disoriented, rubbing her face in an attempt to wake up.}

Dianne: "....Mmmnnmm....."

Armin twisted around in his seat when he heard her wake up, and eyed her with a mixture of amusement and concern. '...Welcome back,' he said jokingly. 'Are you alright?'

Dianne: "Yeah...yeah..."

{She rubs her eyes, then looks over at Armin.}

Dianne: "It was a good nap. I just woke up at the feeling that...I was forgetting to do something....weird..."

{She stands up and walks to the passenger seat.}

Dianne: "I guess we'll be stopping soon for dinner."

Armin tilted his head curiously, but didn't say anything else about the way she'd woken up. He looked out the windshield, peering down to see the land below them. 'Yeah. I can probably catch fish again, if you want me to.'

Dianne: "What else are we supposed to eat? There's no big game by the sea. So, yes, I'd appreciate it if you caught us some fish."

Armin shrugged. 'I didn't know if any other animals roamed around the coast. But I'll be happy to catch some fish. Since it's one of the few things I can actually enjoy eating, myself...'

He continued peering out the front window, waiting for the spot Titan would decide to land in.

{After a little longer, Titan lands along the coast, placing the car along a stone covered beach. Standing, Dianne goes to put her armor back on.}

Dianne: "Go ahead and start fishing, I'll get the fire pit going."

'Alright. Be careful Esme doesn't try to run off while you do that,' said Armin. He retrieved his coat from the floor, put it on, and headed outside, taking a deep breath of the cold salty air.

//Let's see what fish are available in these parts.// Shifting to hawk form, he took off, skimming over the water like last time as he searched for fish.

{With her armor on, Dianne walks outside, taking the shovel and digging a hole in the rocky earth. She orders Barnabas to find something to burn}

Esme climbed out of the truck a little more cautiously than usual, and started poking around at the rocks under her feet.

Armin circled around until he spotted a big enough fish, catching it and pulling it up with some effort. //I wonder if there are sharks out here,// he mused idly. //Or poisonous jellyfish... or sting rays...//

Shaking off those thoughts, he flew back to the shore, shifted back so he could carry the fish easier, and began walking up to where Dianne was building the pit.

{Dianne was very careful with watching Esme, moreso than she was before. She was glad that Esme didn't seem inclined to wander off this time, sitting and waiting for Armin and Barnabas to return. As Esme poked around the rocks, a small crab popped out, raising its claws towards Esme defensively.}

Esme flinched back in surprise, then pricked her ears and swiped at the top of the crab's body with one paw.

Armin came walking up, the fish dangling by its tail from his hand. 'I think this is big enough. I guess we're just waiting for Barnabas to come back with wood or something?' He sat down on a large rock near the fire pit.

Dianne: "Yup, can't cook without fuel."

{She watches Esme with veiled interest. The crab attempted to skitter away when Esme swatted at it.}

Esme followed the crab curiously, poking at it with her paw to watch its reactions. However, she didn't try to kill or eat it.

Armin nodded, letting out a yawn as he patiently sat and awaited Barnabas's return. He rested his head on his hands, eyelids drooping.

{Dianne glanced over at Armin, chuckling a little.}

Dianne: "Tired?"

{When Esme poked the crab, it reached up and pinched her paw, clamping down and clinging to her.}

Armin grunted, eyelids dropping even lower. 'A bit. Like I said, I didn't sleep well last night... and I didn't spend all afternoon sleeping like you did...'

Esme jerked, hissing in slight pain. She glared at the crab for a moment, contemplating how to respond. Then she clamped her teeth over the crab's body and started trying to pull it off her.

Dianne: "Ok. Make sure you get those blankets before we leave. Armin...can I ask you something? How do you normally sleep? Like, at home?"

{The crab held on until its claw came off. Now in Esme's jaw, the crab waved its remaining claw around threateningly.}

Armin remained motionless for a few seconds as he tried to deciper what she meant by that.

'Well, I don't always sleep well at home, either. Haven't for a very long time. Ever since I got involved with the organisation, I haven't really slept well unless I'm either completely exhausted, or there's someone with me.' He shrugged one shoulder. 'I think it's worse right now because of the stress, but it's not a new problem. At home, Rex sometimes stays with me, but... it's best if we don't become dependent on each other like the old days.'

Esme kept a hold of the crab, being unsure what to do with it. After a while, she carried it over to a small patch of sand and deposited it there.

Dianne: "...So, that's why you asked to share a bed back in Chalcedony, because you're most comfortable when you're...with someone?"

{Barnabas returns quietly with some driftwood logs, piling them into the pit.}

{The crab simply buries itself in the sand, disappearing from sight.}

Armin's eyes dropped almost shut as he stared at the fire pit Barnabas had just filled with wood. 'It was sort of a joke. I knew you'd never actually say yes, but I figured it was worth a shot.'

Esme stared at the spot where the crab had been, then shook herself and walked back to investigate more stones.

Dianne: "I see now...Hmm..."

{She stands, shifts, and light the wood with a gout of fire. Shifting back, she continues.}

Dianne: "Well, I have noticed that the few times we slept next to each other, you did seem more comfortable. Do you really feel that safe around me, or does it work with anyone?"

Armin pulled himself into a more upright sitting position, and set to work gutting the fish and assembling the spit.

'No, it doesn't work with anyone. Even with Rex, it doesn't work perfectly; it brings back too many memories of us doing the same thing in the organisation.' He paused to cut the fish's head off. 'Honestly, that last night I was with you... after the whole Death's Aspect thing... was the most peacefully I've slept in decades.'

{Dianne gives a faintly surprised expression.}

Dianne: "Really? Any particular reason you find my presence soothing?"

//...Any particular reason //I// find his presence soothing?//

Armin was quiet, not answering until he had finished preparing the fish. He impaled it on the spit, looking pensive.

'...I don't know. I just do. It feels... right, being near you.' He rested his head on his hands and watched the fire. 'But I'm not going to ask you to do it again... I know you probably don't like doing it.'

{Dianne raises a brow at that.}

Dianne: "Well, that's just the thing. I thought I'd feel uncomfortable sleeping next to you, but I don't. I just refrain from doing it to keep things from being...Awkward. But, I'm happy to do it when you have a nightmare. I don't want you to be losing sleep."

'Well, it does help with the nightmares,' said Armin tiredly. 'Usually I don't sleep after having one.' He slowly rubbed the back of his head as he gazed into the fire. 'It's just that, on the nights when I /don't/ have nightmares... I kind of miss you being there...' He shook his head. 'But that's my problem, not yours. I shouldn't have gotten used to it.'

{Dianne scratches her chin in thought.}

Dianne: "Armin, I'm not sure you could help it. Pardon my frankness, but you're a much more social person than I am. You say you shouldn't have gotten used to it like you had a choice."

'Yeah, you're probably right.' Expression hard to read, he carefully turned the fish on the spit so it would cook evenly. 'I think I'm too... physically affectionate... for my own good. At least with people I actually care about...'

Dianne: "Well, so long as you're not trying to cop any feels, I think you'll be alright. I've seriously considered just sharing a bed with you from now on, as it would clearly help you sleep, and I don't seem to mind at all. However, I'm concerned about the affect it would have on you and our current relationships. Speak truthfully. If we agreed to be openly affectionate with each other, how would Rex react? Or Fred? Or are you suggesting this arrangement only exist while we travel and we never speak of it ever again upon returning? And there's also the concern of me hurting you in the event of a night terror."

Armin was silent for a while, digesting her speech and figuring out how to respond.

'Well, Fred couldn't care less what I'm doing. He's such a reserved person, I think /everyone's/ relationships seem odd to him. Rex is used to being my only close friend... but he knows how close we've gotten since we set off on this trip, and he doesn't seem to be angry about it. He should know that it doesn't change anything about my relationship with him. In any case, I don't want to do this, and then pretend it never happened when we get home.'

He scratched his head in thought. 'That last one /is/ a concern, I suppose... but you've never shown any sign of trying to hurt me during or after a nightmare before.'

Dianne: "I'm unlikely to hurt you after I wake up, it's during. If I feel an unfamiliar adult near me, and the last thing I saw was my ex slaughtering my baby....I might attack in the confusion. That's what I'm most concerned about. The further away you are from me, the more time it gives me to come to my senses. And what do you mean, 'Rex knows how close we've become?' Exactly what aspects have you told him about?"

'Yeah, that is a problem. I mean, it's not like you have those nightmares every night, but you can't predict when they'll happen... And relax, I haven't told him much specific. But we've been travelling together for a while, and he knows we've been through some stuff together, like escaping the hunters... He's aware that I consider you a much closer friend than when we set out.'

Dianne: "Alright, so long as he would be aware of our arrangement. Also, how would it work once everything calms down, given that we live across the city from each other? Maybe it is better if you don't get used to it..."

Armin let out a barely-audible sigh. 'You're right. It would never work. Let's just forget this discussion. I'm getting way ahead of myself.' He turned the fish one more time, noting that it wasn't far from being done. 'My sleeping issues aren't something you should have to worry about, anyway.'

{Dianne leans forward with a quizzical expression.}

Dianne: "Getting ahead of yourself? How?"

'By entertaining unrealistic ideas. I got carried away thinking about how I might actually /sleep/ properly if I could be near you more often... but between your night terrors, and the fact that we live in different places, it could never actually work.'

{At that, Dianne gives a concerned look.}

Dianne: "Well, I'd be lying if I said this doesn't concern me...Tell you what, I can rub your hair until you fall asleep, then I'll leave you be. At least that way you can get to sleep comfortably."

'You don't need to be concerned,' said Armin in a low voice. 'I've had problems sleeping for a very long time; I'm kinda used to it. And that would help.'

(Need to post a new room)