Hey guys! Sorry this is late... You can kill us we promise. We'll try not to ever be late again!

Warning: Nothing too scary. Just conversation :)


Gilbert didn't wake until long after noon the next morning. Disorientated and confused he nearly fell off the bed in confusion when he didn't recognize where he was. Gradually, the memories from the night before welled up in his mind and Gilbert sighed as he slowly staggered out of his bed.

Pulling on shoes with sleep filled eyes; he followed the sound of voices down the stairs and into the kitchen where Elizabeta was already preparing breakfast for seven very hungry looking people.

"Guten morgen all." He muttered rubbing at his eyes sleepily and walking over to kiss Elizabeta on the cheek. "How long was I out?" He asked as he glanced down at his watch.

"At least a good 15 hours." Arthur pointed out as he dished out some oatmeal for a wide eyed Eve when she held her bowl up to him eagerly. "We thought maybe you died, but then of course you snore louder than Antonio so you couldn't have." He laughed nudging Antonio gently, his eyes sparkling good naturedly.

Antonio laughed warmly, much happier after a good night's sleep as well. Grinning, he caught one of Arthur's hands in his and kissed it gently. "I snore, sì, but ay! Gilbert it's a wonder you didn't wake yourself up amigo!" He laughed earning an eye roll from the noisy German.

"Eve, You've already eaten an entire bowl! Make sure there is enough for everyone else, liebling." Leon chided, perched on a ledge inside the window as he looked down at the deserted street. His blonde hair was brushed neatly; the complete opposite of Dexton's whose blonde locks stuck up every which way as he ate a spoonful of oatmeal.

Eve looked over at Leon and pouted "But I'm still hungry!" She whined grumpily continuing to eat despite Leon's protest.

Elizabeta giggled at the friendly words and promptly handed Gilbert a bowl of warm oatmeal. "Here you are love! You look much better after sleeping." She smiled as she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "And a good thing I was tired…otherwise your snoring would have kept me up."

Gilbert chuckled and rolled his eyes knowing he only snored when he hadn't slept in a long time. "Ja ja...laugh it up. We all can't be dainty sleepers like Arthur." He teased back with a laugh when Arthur glared at him.

"Oh sod off git." Arthur snapped sticking out his tongue as he moved over to Dexton and began combing out his tangled locks with a brush he had found and washed earlier that morning as he had done already to Anna and Eve's unruly hair.

"Hey! Hey! That's my hair! Ow!" Dexton mumbled through a mouthful of oatmeal, trying to duck out of range from the brush in Arthur's hands only earning a chuckle from the amused Arthur.

"Gott I feel like I haven't eaten in weeks." Gilbert mumbled scooping up the food eagerly, moving over to the window next to Leon and sitting before taking a bite from the oatmeal with a half starving sigh of relief.

"Hey, sit still Dexton. The more you fuss, the longer it takes!" Leon said, shaking his head in good humored exasperation before looking up at Gilbert with a slight smile. "You're as bad as them! Look... You have Dexton style hair, oatmeal all over your face and are wolfing down your food... You'd think you were a child too!" He teased shyly, looking back out the window after a moment with a soft laugh.

"Oh I'm a child then am I?" Gilbert grinned, taking a spoonful of the oatmeal he flung it playfully at the boy laughing when it splattered across his cheek "Oops...sorry...slipped right out of my spoon there." He teased when the boy yelped in surprise.

"Hey! Ugh... ew that's just... That's just gross! Really mature of you." Leon laughed, wiping the oatmeal from his cheek. His blue eyes were alive with amusement and happiness, so unlike his fearful, hostile ones the day before.

"You're the one who said I was immature! I didn't want to prove you wrong." Gilbert winked extending a towel he found on the counter as a peace treaty to the young man "You should be thanking me...oatmeal is a great exfoliator." He laughed ruffling the child's hair.

"Oh well, I am so glad you are looking out for the wellbeing of my skin Gilbert. I wouldn't want to suffer a break out..." Leon mumbled with a grin, accepting the towel and wiping the rest of the warm mush off his face. Finished, he wadded it up into a ball and threw it at Gilbert with a mischievous look in his eyes before hopping off the windowsill and heading into the kitchen with his dirty bowl. Cackling, Gilbert grinned.

"It makes a good shampoo too, or so I've heard. Tell me how that works for you!" He called after him evilly.

Arthur chuckled in amusement watching the two as he finished combing out the knots in Dexton's tangled hair and set the brush aside "I'll cut it later. I believe you all need at least a trim." He smiled, laughing when the children all gave him horrified looks "Would you rather Gilbert did it? I'm sure you'd end up bald." he pointed out looking amused when they all yelped and shook their heads in terror.

"No sir!"

"You don't want Gilbert to do it? I think you'd all look good bald!" Antonio said with a lazy grin fixed on his face, emerald eyes sparkling mischievously.

"I don't wanna be bald!" Eve protested when she finally understood what they were talking about "My unkle was bald and it made him look like he had a face on the back of his head! I don't wanna face on the back of my head!" She squealed, terrified. Arthur chuckled and gently patted the girl's shoulder.

"You won't have to be bald." He relented shaking his head and winking at Antonio with a knowing grin. Elizabeta laughed softly at the girl's and gently ran her fingers through Eve's hair.

"You don't have to be bald little one, they're just teasing." Elizabeta smiled softly. Antonio grinned at Arthur, emerald eyes shining brilliantly.

"I don't know... bald... I still think you'd look good. Ves muy hermosa mija. You sure you don't want to try it?" He teased as he looked down at the girl wickedly.

"If you like the idea so much why don't we shave your head love?" Arthur teased taking Eve's bowl from in front of her and wiping at her face with a cloth. "I'm sure you would make quite the pair wouldn't you?"

Eve shook her head furiously "Only old people can be bald! Old people like my papa! HE was bald! I don't wanna be bald!" Arthur chuckled and nodded winking back at Antonio as he took his bowl away from him. This was the most energy he'd had in a long time and he enjoyed it immensely. It was almost as if life was slowly reverting back to normal.

"I like my hair, thank you. I'd much rather keep it on my head." Antonio stated with a wicked grin. He really didn't find the idea of going bald appealing in any way shape or form.

"You're right...I love your hair. It's so soft." Arthur grinned, kissing Antonio's neck as he came to stand behind him with a sigh.

"So what's the plan then? Are we staying here a few more days or what?" Leon asked as he came back into the room and leaned against the wall with a sigh. He didn't want to kill everyone's happy moods, but as of yet, a plan hadn't been discussed.

Gilbert thought for a minute as he looked up at Leon. "Well...we can't stay here for long. It's too open, and there's no way we could defend even a small part of it. Not to mention the blatant lack of supplies or places to look for them in the area." He pointed out winking at Eve when she pulled a face at the blatant display of affection between Arthur and Antonio.

"Yes, but I also don't see why we can't just stay here a day or two...gather supplies, get some sleep. Rest up a bit! We've been driving for a good three days straight and we can see around this place for miles. Nothing's going to sneak up on us if we don't let it." Arthur pointed out his cheek resting against Antonio's neck, his arms snaking around his lover's waist. "What do you think Liza...Antonio?"

Antonio smiled brightly and rested his arms over Arthur's as they snaked around his waist. A small, almost imperceptible shiver ran down his spine as cool lips found his neck and he laughed softly. Blinking, he looked over at Eve with a raised eye brow and a mischievous smile, before wiggling out of Arthur's hold and dipping him in a rather flashy, over the top kiss.

"Eeeeeew...that's gross!" Eve whined hiding behind Elizabeta and sticking out her tongue "Why would you wanna kiss? Kissing is gross!" She protested as she hid her face in Elizabeta's shirt.

"Anthony you... " Arthur yelped as Antonio dipped him and pressed his lips up against his fiercely. Arthur felt a small grin forming on his lips before he could manage to scold the man when they straightened once again. A blush curling across his cheeks he chuckled and lifted his hand up to touch his lips where the kiss had been. "You git." He muttered blushing furiously and nudging Antonio with a small chuckle. "Control yourself would you? There are children present." he reminded him gently when Elizabeta scolded them silently. Grinning, Antonio looked over at Eve with a wink.

"Something the matter mija?" He teased, sighing at the disapproving cough Elizabeta made he returned his attention to the conversation. "Mmmm, I think we can get away with staying here one more day, but tomorrow morning we should leave. This place looks relatively safe, but we all know how bad it is to get too comfortable, si? *

Elizabeta frowned and glanced at Gilbert, having agreed with him. She didn't want to stay there any long: There were too many places the infected could hide. "You know... I think we need to just get to a military base, something... I don't think staying here is the best idea..." Gilbert sighed and nodded as he glanced over at the other couple.

"We don't want to get too comfortable, gathering supplies for a day or so while we recover is one thing, but staying here for any length of time is another. We still haven't even checked the top floors, and there are six of them, who knows what's lingering up there." Arthur sighed in a reluctant agreement to the German's point as he pressed his face into Antonio's neck.

"Ok ok, we should probably think about where we're going before we do anything. Driving around in circles isn't my idea of a safe route either. We probably should at least have a destination in mind before we just take off." Arthur pointed out after a minute, glancing up at Gilbert with a sigh. "Our main problem is that we have no plan. Where are we going?" Elizabeta nodded as she looked over at her husband, her eyes flashing with concern.

"I agree. Though I don't think we should stay here even for one more night though, Arthur is making some sense…Where do we head to?" She pointed out, her hands moving to pull her hair back in a tie before she ran her fingers through the confused looking Eve's hair. "So far we've just been driving around and stopping when we're about to collapse…it's not safe, especially now that we have the children." Gilbert thought for a minute as he gestured for Antonio to move the confused looking children out of the room.

"Why don't you guys go play in the lobby with Antonio huh?" He suggested with a smile, not exactly wanting to talk very seriously with a bunch of children staring at them. Waiting for Antonio to disentangle himself from Arthur and move out into the adjoining room with all but Leon, who seemed determined to stay, he sighed before turning to his wife. "I'm not going to lie, for the past week or so I've just been winging it…I don't know where's safe or if there's anywhere safe left to go." He admitted, earning a somber nod from the remaining adults in the room. "Where? You said a military base...I kinda like that idea. Are there any nearby?" Gilbert asked straining to remember any military bases that may have been set up in the area.

"Yes...I believe there is one. It'll probably take a solid day to reach it, but North of here there is a base. I remember driving by it on my way to visit my family back in England once. It's an American base, relatively small, but...it might be our best shot." Arthur pointed out standing by the door to the hall as he peeked out and watched Antonio chase the squealing children around the lobby with a fond smile on his face. "We need a map...would you like me to try and find one?" He asked as he looked back over at Gilbert with a raised eyebrow.

"I have a map... I took a class on modern European history, and one on modern American history. One of our requirements was to have an atlas. It's big though, it might not be too helpful." Leon piped up, having stayed silent and listening as the adults talked.

"An atlas? Hmmm... Does it have roads? Because big or not that would be useful." Gilbert pointed out looking down at the young man earning a nod in response. "Why don't you and I go find it? He suggested gesturing towards the door and chuckling when the boy sprinted out of the room to look for what he was bid to find.

"I'll go get it! It's just under the bed upstairs, I'll be right back." Leon said to Gilbert before turning and jogging towards the stairs, disappearing up them swiftly.

"An American base? Well... It's better than nothing, though they will probably be cracking down on foreigners right now, anyone who isn't American might not get in." Elizabeta said doubtfully, though really: Where else could they go?

"Elizabeta...do you have any idea where we should go? If you have a better idea than the military base I would love to hear it. At this point...I don't think they'll care if we're foreign or not, and if all else fails there is a British military base, but it's a bit further away, and I'm sure that they'd let us all in either." Arthur sighed rubbing his throbbing shoulder gently as he struggled to think of what they could possibly do. It was times like these when the wound on his shoulder started to act up, and though he tried not to complain about it, the dull ache did start to affect his train of thought.

"I think the military base will be just fine, so long as they accept us." Elizabeta said with a sigh. That would be awful if they got all the way there only to be forced away by other living humans.

"NOoooOOo! Cooties!" Eve's voice wailed as the group of children and Antonio reappeared in the kitchen, Antonio chuckling as he held Eve in his arms. Arthur chuckled in amusement at the sight, leaning against Antonio once the child had been set down. Turning to Elizabeta he smiled sadly.

"I'm sure they'll accept us...they have to." Arthur whispered rubbing his neck as he closed his eyes a moment to relax.

"I hope you're right, dear." Elizabeta said, sounding tired. It was funny, though she had stayed up all night; she hadn't felt exhausted until this conversation, as though the words had literally leeched energy from her.

"Elizabeta...you don't look well, pet. Do you need to lie down?" Arthur asked when he spotted the exhaustion in her eyes allowing Antonio to wrap his arms around him with a sigh.

Elizabeta smiled slightly and shook her head. "No no, I'm fine. You don't worry about me dear." She assured him with a warm smile.

Allowing the others to talk amongst themselves Gilbert sighed as he stood.

"I think I'm going to look for Leon...just to make sure he's ok." Gilbert muttered, glancing up the stairs after the boy disappeared. No one heard his comment, but he didn't feel like repeating himself so instead he simply slipped out of the room heading up the stairs

Arthur sighed and nodded making a mental note to keep an eye on the exhausted looking woman. "Now where did your husband wander off to?" He muttered looking around in confusion, for a relatively large man, he moved fairly quickly.

Elizabeta looked around, startled and concerned when she didn't see any sign of her husband. "Where did he go? I didn't see him leave." She pointed out, irritated that after all these years, her husband still managed to escape her without so much as an ounce of effort. Arthur frowned and looked around peeking out in the hallway

"He probably went after Leon...he'll shout if he needs us." He pointed out when he found the hall was clear. "He's a big lad...he can take care of himself." He promised as he reached out to pat the woman on the shoulder.

Elizabeta nodded, though her eyes still held a frantic edge. "He'll be fine... I'm sure you're right. He just went to look for Leon."

Not really listening to the conversation, Antonio sighed as he glanced at the girl still clinging onto his shirt. Kneeling down, he chuckled, a mischievous smile on his face.

"Now we get Arturo. What do you think?" He winked playfully as he ruffled her hair with a chuckle.

Eve giggled evilly and nodded her hands flying up to stifle the laughs rolling out of her mouth. "Ja! Now we get Iggy!"

Antonio chuckled softly and raised an eyebrow, glancing at his Arthur. "How should we do it?" he asked with a wink.

Eve giggled and nodded eagerly rubbing her hands together diabolically. "We grab him!" Antonio grinned and stood up, slowly sneaking around behind Arthur to grab him, as Eve instructed to do. He waited until Elizabeta had turned to look towards the stairs before wrapping both arms around Arthur's waist, teasingly restraining him ignoring the yelp of protest.

"Got him! No what mija?" He asked as he kissed Arthur on the cheek.

"Tickle him!" Eve cheered rushing forward and attempting to tickle the older man with tiny fingers. Arthur blinked in confusion at the attempt then began to chuckle slightly.

"What are you two doing? Double teaming me? For shame!" Arthur laughed as he looked down at the child with amusement in his eyes.

Antonio laughed and prodded Arthur's sides with clever fingers, winking at Eve as she giggled madly in front of Arthur. "We're tickling you apparently! She's a devious little child. Now fear our tickling finger's amor." He teased as he kissed the man on the cheek.

Arthur let out a laugh as he strained against Antonio's hold his sides starting to scream the moment Antonio began to tickle him. "No! No stop that! Anthony!" He laughed loudly earning a giggle from Eve as he squirmed against Antonio's hold "Both of you stop this! Ah...ahahahaha!" he sputtered his eyes watering madly as the children all began to laugh at his suffering. "I'll get you b...aaahahaack for this!" He swore his hands scrabbling at Antonio's arm.

"What was that? Lo siento... I couldn't understand you through all the laughing! What's the matter Arturo?" Antonio teased a bright grin on his face as he continued to tickle Arthur relentlessly, earning loud peels of bell like laughter from the children as they watched. "Arturo... Are you, by chance, ticklish, amor?" he asked as Arthur writhed in his attempts to escape.

Arthur couldn't answer, flailing breathlessly he laughed until tears were rolling down his face and his cheeks were flushed a dark crimson with exertion and embarrassment. He was indeed, badly ticklish and honestly hated being tickled with a passion, but the strain on his lungs to keep oxygen to his lungs was too much and he couldn't bring himself to voice the objection.

"He's turning purple Mr. Tonio!" Eve laughed clapping her tiny hands giddily. Antonio laughed along with the children, but let Arthur go once his face had darkened to a lovely shade of purple.

"Alright that's enough. I don't want my Englishman to pass out from asphyxiation." He quickly wrapped his arms around Arthur again as he swayed a bit, looking a bit concerned. "You alright, amor?"

Arthur gasped for air, hiccupping giggles mixing with the rasping search for air. Clinging onto Antonio desperately he felt the tears that were streaming down his face as his vision swam slightly. "You...you git." He rasped resting his forehead against Antonio's shoulder with another giggling fit. "I'm g...going to get you back for that." He promised, the threat whispered into Antonio's ear purposefully. "

Mr. Iggy why are you crying?!" Eve demanded in confusion. "Sometimes when you get tickled you cry little one." Jessie explained with a smile.

"I'm sure you will. I'm sure you will." Antonio said with a grin that just screamed he was proud of himself, not bothered by Arthur's threatening words in the slightest. "It's ok Eve. He's just giggly and wound up now is all. No worries little one."

"Oh you cocky bastard." Arthur chuckled rubbing at his aching ribs as they throbbed underneath his skin. He had to admit though the lighthearted joy in Antonio's eyes was almost worth the pain and embarrassment of being tickled. "Yes I'm quite alright, but if I kill Antonio you only have yourself to blame." He laughed winking at the child when she looked momentarily shocked. Eve giggled and shyly hid behind Jessie

"Sorry Mr. Tonio!" She chirped with a giggle.

"It's alright little one. I'm 90%...No 95% sure that he won't kill me. Call me crazy, but I think, and I'm just going out on a limb here, but I think the Arthur in question would probably miss me a bit too much if I died." Antonio chuckled as he pressed a kiss to Arthur's neck playfully.

Arthur grumbled something along the lines of 'willing to risk the loneliness' under his breath earning a giggle from Anna. "I'm sure he won't kill you Mr. Tonio!" Eve chirped looking thrilled at the entire situation.

Antonio rolled his eyes in good humor and shook his head. "I'm sure he won't either. Worth it? I see... Well guess I'll see you later then, Arturo." He said, sounding completely serious though amusement danced in his emerald eyes as he let go of Arthur and proceeded to head out of the room.

"I'll see you later indeed Anthony." Arthur grumbled resting his head against Antonio's shoulder with a shake of his head his eyes sparkling with good humor. Eve giggled behind them and tugged Anna down to whisper in her ear.

"They look like they're going to kiss again." She explained pulling a face earning a giggle from the older girl.

~X~

Leon sat on the floor and pulled his knees to his chest, setting the atlas in front of him. With a sigh he opened it and ran his finger's over the lines, tracing the roads him and his family were supposed to be traveling on. He sniffled softly, a wave of longing rolling through his skinny frame. "Mutti, Vati... Oma... I miss you... Is this the right thing to do? Join up with these strangers? I know... I know how you guys always said it can be hard to except help... But if I don't find someone to help me take care of Dexton and those kids... We'll all die. I'm... I'm so scared Oma... What if this is wrong?" He said, looking out the window and up at the sky as he had a rather one sided conversation with his decease grandmother

Gilbert moved upstairs, finding the room that the children had stayed in and moving to open the door only to hesitate as he heard Leon speaking. Frowning when he heard the grief in his voice and the distress at having to trust strangers he felt a pang of familiarity in his chest. This boy was so like himself, and it pained him to realize that he was suffering so similarly to how he had suffered growing up, feeling alone and unprotected. Sighing he leaned up against the door and rested his hands in his hair.

"I'm not strong enough for this... So often now I think about running away, leaving behind all my responsibilities... I wouldn't have to be so afraid then…But then I remember Dexton. I'm all he has... the others too... And I know I could never do that... I love them all too much to leave them alone to die... But... But I just..." A soft sob tore through Leon's chest as he quivered with fear and grief, momentarily choked by the raw emotion inside. "I'm just scared... So... terrified..." He closed his eyes and hugged his knees to his chest a bit tighter as he rested his forehead on top of them. "Why can't you be where I can see you...? I know you'd know what to do... Even when Mutti and Vati didn't... You always knew..."

Gilbert sighed as he listened in. Knowing that the boy would probably be embarrassed, but that he would need someone just then, he pressed open the door and moved forward stepping behind the boy slowly "You know... just because you can't see her that doesn't mean she's not there." He whispered knocking on the door so he wouldn't think he was an infected. "I know that you're scared...holle...I'm scared." He sighed not looking at the boy in the eye as he turned towards him. "But...even though we are strangers...I won't let anything happen to you and your bruder." he promised looking back at him "You and I, we'll take care of them wont we?"

Leon jumped a bit and furiously wiped at his eyes as Gilbert began to speak. He couldn't really bring himself to be angry with the man for eavesdropping on him, though that didn't stop the deep red blush that flooded his cheeks "I will always take care of my bruder... Always. Even when he doesn't want me to I would... I would... I don't even know what I would do if he got hurt, and I know she's with me...I can feel her, but that doesn't mean I can't wish she was here. She'd tell me what I need to do; she'd hug me and say not to be afraid. I mean let's face it! I'm 17! 17, and taking care of four terrified kids... I might be strong and determined to keep them alive, but that's not enough! I can't do it anymore. I just can't..." He whispered, hanging his head in shame.

Gilbert waited long enough for him to speak, then sighed moving forward and kneeling beside him slowly. Reaching out he pulled the boy into his arms and like he had done so many times with Ludwig he began to pat his hair gently. "I know...I know it's tough. That it isn't fair, but you've done such a good job. You kept them alive, you kept them together. Now you can relax and know that we'll help you...you don't have to be alone anymore."

"You've done this before... Haven't you?" Leon guessed quietly, clinging tightly to Gilbert, wishing there was some way he could just be a little boy and not have to worry about anything. Always taken care of... "What did you do... How did you... Not be scared? So you guys help us... but I'll always feel like I have to be there for them. Like I have to help them... keep them safe.

"Well I've never fought zombies before. That's new." Gilbert chuckled sadly as he glanced out the window across from them. "Like I said, I have…had a little bruder of my own." He pointed out patting the boy's back gently. "How do I not be scared? I don't...I'm always scared, always afraid something will happen, but I keep going, I keep fighting through it, because fear is something I can't allow to cripple me." He explained softly thinking back to those moments he wanted nothing more than to freeze up and give up "You will keep them safe...and we'll help."

Leon sighed and let go of Gilbert, moving away from him and looking out the window. "I... "He stated to say but instead he just closed his eyes and shook his head "I found the atlas. It has roads, but only the main ones. If you need side streets, we'll have to find something else. It's the best I've got." He said, carefully controlling his emotions as best he could manage.

Gilbert sighed as the boy pulled away and almost attempted to keep him in his arms as a pang of loneliness he had long suppressed welled up again, but he let the boy go knowing that it was for the best that he had his moment to prove he could be an adult "That's all we need right now...basic roads. We can get a more detailed road map later on. "

Leon nodded and closed the atlas from when he had been looking at it on the floor, and handed it to Gilbert, biting the inside of his lip hard enough for it to bleed and not daring to meet the strange, albino man's eyes. "Here, hopefully this works then." He looked down at the floor with a sigh and a soft shudder.

Gilbert accepted the map with a smile and reached out to clasp the boy's shoulder firmly. "Danke, Leon... you've done a wonderful job here, and I hope I can keep up with the standards you've set." He grinned ruffling the boy's hair and turning to the door. "Are you coming? I can hear them laughing without us, and that's just not awesome of them at all now is it?"

Leon smiled slightly, but shook his head, returning to the space on the floor between the two beds in the room. "I think I'll just stay up here. You go down though if you want. You don't want to miss out on all of the fun, ja?" He said quietly, eyes flitting back to the window as he sighed softly

Gilbert shrugged and with a sigh threw himself onto the bed pulling his hands over his eyes "I have been stuck with those three for was...a week now? Nein, I like the quiet." He chuckled not wanting to say that he didn't want the boy up here by himself in case something did find him in the room. "Unless you'd like me gone of course...then I would be happy to oblige and find a different room."

Leon looked startled and it was clear he debated on whether or not he wanted to tell Gilbert to leave so he could be alone, but after a moment he just shrugged and stood up before sitting at the edge of the bed, pulling his knees to his chest. "I don't really care either way I guess..." He rolled his eyes and laughed softly despite himself. "Though if you wanted to keep an eye on me you should've just said so. I'm not blind, nor am I stupid. If I was, the five of us would have died weeks ago with the start of this infection. Don't lie to me Gilbert. I like you. I might not trust you yet... But I like you." He warned, guess the real reason Gilbert had decided to stay.

Gilbert glanced up at the boy and smiled a chuckle curling from his throat softly. "You caught me...sharp as a tack, I like that. Ja, I wanted to keep an eye on you." He smiled his hands resting over his eyes as he closed them. Sighing heavily he peeked out from behind his finger tips and chuckled. "I'm glad you like me. I don't like it when people dislike makes creating a lasting friendship difficult."

Leon smiled back, a real one. Not one he had to force or one that just barely showed on his face. It was... shocking to find, but it felt right, even after so many days. "Friends? The other three not enough for you now you have to make friends with a group of ragtag renegade children? Maybe I shouldn't trust you... Might just go and ditch us for new friends when you get bored." He teased softly, bringing his chin down to rest on his knees.

"One of those friends just happens to be my wife. Attempting to replace her would end in my untimely demise." Gilbert chuckled not bothering to look up from his rested position "I'm not replacing them! I am adding onto my circle of friends! Who cares if you're renegade children or not? Adults are boring." He laughed looking highly amused by the entire conversation

"Mmm... Well then maybe I can trust you. I doubt you'd get rid of your wife. She's kind of scary frying pan? Mein gott I didn't realize she could move it that fast until it was blocking my bat! She seems nice though, you both do." Leon stated, sounding thoughtful. "Adults do seem rather boring. Though I guess I shouldn't be saying that, I guess I've sort of had to become one." he shrugged, though he looked a bit troubled by his own words

"Ja, she's scary...kesesese used that frying pan on me long before she used it on the zombies." Gilbert chuckled sitting up with a sigh and glancing over at the boy. "I can agree with that statement about growing up, and let me state something in addition: You're only as grown up as you let yourself be. Me? I never grew up. Growing up is boring. As far as I'm concerned, I will never grow up."

"Really? I... don't envy you. That pan looks like it would hurt." Leon said with a soft laugh before he tilted his head to the side curiously, think about what Gilbert said. "I guess that makes sense... Growing up is over rated."

"It did hurt, badly." Gilbert grinned smiling over at the boy with a laugh. "Ja, overrated indeed...stay a kid, life's more fun that way." He assured the boy running a hand through his tousled silver hair. When the child laughed behind him, Gilbert closed his eyes. Maybe everything would be alright after all.


So there you have it! As always, review and let us know how you like it or if you have any questions too!