Armin rubbed his head contemplatively. 'Yeah... that could work... You probably have no shortage of money.'

Dianne: "Not to brag, but...I'm completely loaded....I've spent the greater half of my life ammasing wealth...Dragon instincts....don't tell Ivy."

Armin chuckled at that. He lay forwards onto the bed, lazily tugging the blanket over himself and resting his head on his arms. 'I don't doubt it. With how long you've lived, you probably have the biggest treasure hoard of any dragon. Where the heII do you keep it all?'

Dianne: "Oh, most of it is back in Ferros, under my daughter's tomb. A good bit is in my basement and house."

{Dianne lies down on her bedding, chuckling a bit.}

'I'm surprised people aren't constantly trying to rob you,' said Armin wryly. 'Some would be desperate or greedy enough to try.'

Esme was across the truck, engrossed in playing with a small rock she had picked up by the fire earlier.

Dianne: "They're not trying to rob me because no one knows I have it. Also, my gold is cursed, so anyone who steals it will be haunted by restless spirits."

Armin blinked. 'Huh. I guess I should have expected something like that, from you.'

He turned his head slightly to watch Esme playing. //Cute. I can't wait to see how everyone reacts to seeing we have her...//

{Dianne simply subsides into silence, observing Esme fondly.}

While Esme entertained herself in the background, Armin also fell silent, enjoying the peace. A few minutes later, he shifted slightly, seeming to contemplate his next words.

'Could you, maybe... stroke my hair for a minute?' he asked tentatively.

{Dianne glances at him, smirking slightly.}

Dianne: "Sure. Come on over."

'Now you're the one smiling creepily,' Armin complained. He pulled himself up and shifted closer, settling against her side, careful not to dislodge the blanket as he moved.

Dianne: "No, unlike your smiles, mine aren't creepy."

{She wraps one arm around him and strokes his hair with the other. Leaning back, she settles against the wall with him, slowly and methodically running her fingers through his hair.}

'No, that was definitely a creepy smirk right there...'

Armin's eyes closed and his breathing became slower as he relaxed, clearly enjoying the sensation. He tried to avoid falling asleep straight away.

Dianne: "Sure, pal, whatever you say..."

{She falls silent. continuing with the soothing activity.}

Dianne: //Hmm...Better not let Ivy see this...She'd never leave me alone about it...//

Armin didn't break the silence, preferring to just relax as she ran her fingers through his hair. After a few minutes, it was clear that he was beginning to doze off, despite his attempts to stay awake.

{Noticing that Armin was drifting off, she whispers softly.}

Dianne: "Are you ready to sleep, or would you rather stay up for a bit?"

Armin took a moment to respond. When he did, his voice was slow and dragging, almost drunk-sounding. 'No... lemme sleep... don't wanna get up now, too much effort...'

{Dianne gives a half concerned, half amused look at his slurred speech.}

Dianne: "Alright. Here."

{She slowly readjusts until they were lying down. Dianne continues to stroke his hair, holding him in her arms.}

Armin stirred slightly when they moved, but quickly settled down again. Through a combination of the warmth, closeness, and Dianne stroking his hair, he began to drift off, looking contented. He mumbled a quiet 'g'night' before becoming too drowsy to speak any more.

Dianne: "Goodnight."

{With that, she settles down with him, glancing at Esme.}

Esme continued playing with the rock she'd found for a while, before padding over to the bed. She settled down, curled up like a cat, next to their legs. Armin was fully asleep.

{Dianne quickly drifted off as well. They were close to home now. It would only be a few days before they returned.}

(Skip?)

(Yep, shall I start or you?)

(You go.)

----

The next morning, Armin slowly awoke to find himself in Dianne's arms, with Esme snoozing lower down on the bed. Warm and comfortable, he snuggled a bit closer to her and just enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere.

Esme, amusingly, was sleeping with her rock. She seemed to become attached to the thing and didn't want to lose it.

*have become

{A little while later, Dianne awoke, finding Armin in her arms. Remembering the circumstances under which this occured, she smiles and gently strokes Armin's hair, unsure if he was awake or not.}

Armin gave a quiet hum of enjoyment, indicating that he was indeed awake, though still a bit drowsy. He remained lying there, too comfortable to move even slightly.

{Lying there comfortably, she speaks up softly.}

Dianne: "Armin...Why is this so soothing to you? Is there just something about being held that you find calming?"

'I guess so... It's not just being held; it's being held by someone who I trust entirely and have a connection with... like you. Maybe it's just a comfort to know that you care about me... I don't know.'

Dianne: "Well, whatever the reason....I'm glad that we're close friends. Before this, the thought of touching someone like this was...repulsing to me. But, with you, I feel at ease. I guess even beings as old as me have the capacity to change."

'Of course you can. Age doesn't stop you from changing.' Armin lay quietly for a moment, eyes closed, breathing slowly. 'I don't think of you as being old. Except when you start talking about things that happened thousands of years ago.'

Dianne: "Heh, well...no physical aging sure helps with that...I look like a young woman, but I've outlived civilizations."

Armin smirked slightly, eyes still closed. 'Yeah... it's a bit strange to think about... But that kind of thing is pretty normal to me. Plenty of people don't look their age. When you're immortal... age kinda becomes meaningless. I mean, I'm stuck physically as a 35-year-old for eternity.'

Dianne: "You still remember how old you were when you stopped aging. That makes one of us."

'That's not something I'd easily forget. It was the moment when everything changed.'

Dianne: "Yeah, I can see why that would stick in your mind. But, let's not dwell on that. Let's focus on things like what you'll do with all that money, and the good times we'll have with that ale."

'Mhm... I've been thinking about some of the things I might do with the money. It's still hard to believe we have so much. I plan to buy some nice stuff, give some to everyone else, and stash the rest. Ivy's not getting any unless she begs me.'

Dianne: "Oh? Had a change of heart, did you? I thought you were going to share some with her?"

'It depends. Of course, I'm going to prioritise giving money to everyone else. I don't really have a reason to give her any, but I suppose I might... if she doesn't annoy us too much when we get home...'

Dianne: "That's true. If the first question out of her mouth has anything to do with whether or not we, "slept together", don't give her even a single coin."

Armin chuckled. 'Of course. I don't plan on telling her anything at all. Even if I told her that we didn't sleep together - in that way - she'd just think I'm lying. Ivy believes whatever she wants to.'

Dianne: "Well, she can believe whatever she wants, but the moment she tries to slander my name by spreading false rumors...Well, then we'll have a problem."

'It would slander your name if people thought you'd slept with me? Not sure whether I should be insulted by that or not...'

Dianne: "Oh, it's not like that. The fact that it's false is what would make it slanderous. If I actually did decide to be physical with you, I wouldn't really care who knows. I just don't like being lied about."

'That's understandable, I guess. It's not pleasant to realise someone's spreading false rumours about you and others believe it. I mentioned before that Ivy suspects I slept with Anastasia, and I'd rather /that/ didn't become common belief...'

Dianne: "Yes, but I didn't mean to imply that you were equivalent to Ana. Like I said, I don't like people lying about me behind my back."

'Yeah, I get that. You wouldn't want people spreading lies. Neither would I, it sounds annoying to deal with. If I actually do... get involved with someone, then I don't care much if people find out.'

Dianne: "Yeah, if it's true, then I really don't care. Just don't lie about me."

{She looks around the car as she lies there.}

Dianne: "...So...should we get up, or would you rather just keep lying here with me?"

'Eh... We'll have to get up and feed Esme soon, but... she's still asleep... so I'm not moving until she wakes up.' Armin shifted slightly to get more comfortable, then continued to lie there, huddled close to her.

Dianne: "Heh...very well."

{She squeezes Armin slightly as she got more comfortable. She closes her eyes, content to doze until Esme woke her up.}

Armin intended to just doze, but felt so comfortable he ended up falling asleep again.

Almost an hour later, Esme woke up. She padded closer to them, gazed at them questioningly for a moment, then squeaked quite loudly in Dianne's ear.

{Dianne woke with a slight start.}

Dianne: "What? Huh? Oh, hey, Esme...Hungry?"

Esme squeaked more quietly, sitting back and gazing at her with unblinking eyes.

Feeling Dianne's start, Armin opened his eyes and scanned the room. He relaxed when he realised it was just Esme in front of them.

{Dianne shifts her position to get up, and pats Armin's cheek.}

Dianne: "I'll feed her. You can stay if you want."

'Alright...' Armin shifted off of her, then yawned and stretched, trying to wake up properly.

Esme walked over to the food box and waited, with surprising patience, for Dianne to open it.

{Dianne gets up and walks over to the crate, picking out some apples for Esme.}

Dianne: "Hmm...All we have left are apples...Hope she doesn't get sick of them."

Esme eagerly grabbed one apple in her jaws, beginning to tear into it.

'It'll be fine... We'll be home soon enough, and then she can eat whatever she wants,' said Armin, as he lay back and watched lazily. 'Or maybe if we're lucky, we'll find some more fruit in the wilds, like how we found the apple trees before.'

Dianne: "That's true."

{Getting some food for herself, she sits back down next to Armin.}

Dianne: "So, what's the first thing you want to do once we get back?"

Armin remained lying down, gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling. 'Not sure... See Rex, I suppose. Make sure he's alright. Check on my house... I miss my house. And, I guess, get the place ready for you to stay over, if you really are doing that.'

Dianne: "Yes, I am really going to do that. I like my house and stuff, but the plains are too vulnerable. Especially if I have Esme with me."

'Yeah, your house is pretty exposed out there. Mine is in the middle of the city. You and Esme will be safer.' Armin tilted his head slightly. 'Hmm, you've never seen my place before. I've never been inside yours either.'

Dianne: "Huh, you're right. After this all blows over, I'll have to invite you over. I can show you my collection of artifacts."

Armin eyed her sideways. 'What kind of artifacts? And from where?'

Dianne: "Oh, from all over, but mostly Ferros. There are gold idols of the divines, ceremonial implements and accesories, weapons, suits of armor, bits of Akhetians I smashed to bits, currency, all sorts of things."

'Something tells me that the inside of your house just looks like a museum full of ancient treasures, gold, spoils of war, and expensive stuff,' said Armin teasingly.

Dianne: "Well, my bedroom and trophy room look that way, sure, but the rest is pretty ordinary. Is that so wrong?"

'No, not at all. It's pretty much what I'd have expected. If you have all that stuff, there's no reason not to be proud of it and display it. I'd definitely like to come over and see your place someday.'

Dianne: "Hopefully someday soon. What's your place like?"

(Posting new room)