i missed you :: nils

Paisley frowned. "I can imagine," she said softly. After all they'd been through, it must be awful to be stuck in a room not being able to do much.

"When he's feeling better maybe he can come out here with us. The sun would probably do him some good."

"Yeah, maybe," Nils agreed. To be honest he was a little worried that Henri would want to take off without a word the second he recovered. Nils understood why that might be for the best, but to be honest he really hated the thought of leaving Paisley, especially without saying anything. He felt guilty just thinking about doing it. But if Henri said that they had to...

"Did your parents teach you how to garden?" he asked, wanting to change the subject.

Paisley shook her head. "I grew up in Dahlin, so there actually wasn't too much room to garden. We didn't even have a yard because I lived in an apartment. But after I settled I just couldn't help it. It's so calming and beautiful. And I have all this space now," she said, motioning around her. She laughed lightly, remembering how amazed she had felt when she moved to Nadar and realized she could do anything she wanted.

She almost asked Nils about his childhood but then realized it wouldn't have been happy like hers. It broke her heart. Someone so sweet had been...she didn't even want to think about it. It made her stomach sick. But she did wonder about his life before his kidnapping. Who had his parents been? Where had he and Henri grown up before the unthinkable had happened?

"It's so nice having you here. This place gets lonely often," she told him. "This big old place for little old me." She had her staff, of course, but for some reason most of them were oddly formal. It probably had to do with how Erek had run the place, but she figured they should have been used to her by now. Hm.

Paisley had grown up in Dahlin? For some reason Nils had imagined that she had just always lived in Nadar. She just seemed like she was meant to be here (which he supposed she sort of was, being the overloridian and all). He himself had spent quite a bit of time in Dahlin. He and Henri were usually moved between there and Stonecraft, the two main cities of operation for their group. He had to wonder whether his and Paisley's paths had ever crossed back then without them realizing or remembering it.

He was also surprised when she admitted to being lonely. He found it almost impossible to believe that someone so kind and beautiful wouldn't be constantly surrounded by friends. "Don't you have friends?" he asked, hoping his question wouldn't offend her.

Paisley shrugged. "A few, I guess," she told him. It wasn't like she didn't have any, just that she had moved far away from her friends when she'd settled and had to come to Nadar. "I don't really have time to leave the island much, though."

To be honest, Paisley kind of blamed herself for letting her friendships grow distant. It had been such a struggle getting Nadar back on track at the beginning that she had been neglectful. Now she saw her old friends every once in a while but it had never been the same. These days she mostly stuck around the house gardening, or off in the jungle if she had the time.

If what she said was true, and Nils didn't see why it shouldn't be, then he was going to feel even worse if him and Henri just up and left. Maybe he'd talk to Henri about it. Maybe there was some way they could stay here and actually have a real, permanent home.

Nils, I know we went through a lot with her, but you barely know this girl, Tanith said. Anytime they thought they'd found someplace permanent, they always ended up having to leave. And if that was going to happen this time too, Nils wasn't doing himself any favors by getting way too attached to Paisley way too quickly.

Nils didn't argue, because he never did, but he couldn't let go of that hopefulness at the idea of staying in Nadar for good. Paisley even wanted them to. "That's too bad," he said to Paisley. He offered her a small smile. "I hope we can stay for a while, then."

"So do I," said Paisley. She'd grown really fond of the brothers, Nils especially. He was so shy and timid, but she loved when he smiled. And he was so sweet without realizing it. Paisley wished he could realize it.

The two continued their stroll around the garden, talking back and forth and learning little things about each other. It was a nice afternoon, and when Paisley finally had to go inside to take care of some business she found her mind travelling to Nils quite often.

END