Chapter 2: Thank-You Gift

I humbly thank you readers for giving favorites and following my story. ^^

Disclaimer: I don't own HNKNA or any characters in it, they belong to Quinrose. I only own my character and this story.

Gray fiddled with the flower branch on his hands. Turning and slipping it into a knot before tying another into it. He glanced at the little girl sitting in front of him, doing the same albeit clumsier and a frown plastered on her face. He recalled the event on his master's office before which led to this flower crown-making event with her at the garden. The little foreigner was already at his master's office when he came in. He caught them on the floor playing cat chase with a happy smile on their face. He didn't mind the girl, but his master's work was left undone, again. It seemed he would use anything he could get a grip on just to skip his work. But Gray was thankful of the little girl after that. He could still remember his master's shocked face very clear.

"Master please, she needs to rest and you need to work."

"No! I'm playing with her! She has no one to play with!"

"I'll play with her, so please, get back to work." Gray said, picking her up from the floor.

"Noooo~!" Nightmare whined.

Gray turned to leave but he felt something pulled his tie.

"Nightmare must work?" the little girl asked.

"Yes. He skipped work too much and now he has a lot to catch up."

She turned to Nightmare, "No skip work, Nightmare. Bwother said it's bad and make you feel tired later. You should finish it?"

Nightmare's jaw opened in shock. "Not you too Remy! Besides, I can do it later."

"But you'll get tired later. Finish it now and we can play later." She smiled.

"No!"

"Please?"

"But-"

"Then no playing."

"Waa..?"

Seeing a little girl reprimand his master was... Very interesting. Gray felt himself smiled.

"I suggest do as she said, master. I'll return with her after you're done." He turned to leave with the little girl in his arms waving her tiny hands towards his master.

"Noooooo..."

And here they are. Sitting in the garden, in front of each other, making flower crowns. He had brought her here to enjoy the garden and after a few minutes, she said she wanted to make flower crown for his master as a gift. But had not once the little foreigner succeeded in tying even a single knot. And he could see it's starting to get frustrating for her, judging by the sour look on her face. A small smile appeared on his face.

"Would you like some help with that?" Gray asked.

The little girl looked up from her hands, frowning still. She looked back to her unfinished crown and sighed. She admitted she had never made a flower crown before. Getting one, yes, it was a simple picnic afternoon and it was her brother who gave it to her as a gift. That's why she couldn't think of something but flower crown to give to Nightmare. She wanted to thank him for the crying incident and the fun they had in her dreams. But she couldn't finish even one knot because she had never made one herself. It was frustrating and starting to make her head hurt from thinking too much. The man in front of her was calm and patiently waiting for her to answer. He's nice. And he's willing to help. Maybe she could use his help. She knew she can't do this alone so she bobbed her head down with a slightly pink face.

Gray's lips twitched upward slightly. Her flustered face was so cute. He admitted he had always fond of cute little things, but he didn't show it to anyone. However, he's somehow curious as to how some people come to notice this side of him. His master aside.

He took the unfinished knots and worked his fingers through. She only watched him calmly and sometimes tilting her head or squinting and widening her eyes a bit. Seeing his fingers worked their way through the stems and tying them up to make a crown, she watched in astonishment. So that's how you make flower crowns!

Gray finished the last knot and held it in front of her. His eyes scanned the girl's expression as she took the flower crown in her little hands. She has a delighted expression on her face, he could tell. And it was proved to be right as she brought her eyes upward and locked with his, and smiled.

"Thank you." She said softly.

At that, he felt his inside heating up and absentmindedly nodding his head. What was that?

"Wemy think Nightmare would like it. Right, mister?" she asked, looking at the crown now. She raised the crown slightly and turning it to see in a different angle, admiring the kind man's work before setting her eyes back to him and waited for his answer. She was just slightly curious because she just knew Nightmare, and this man was probably his friend if they act so friendly to each other back at the office. Friends should know what each other like, right? And he was really kind to her too. He also waited patiently at her failure attempts before deciding to help. He never asked questions too, or yet. He's so kind.

But the answer she was waiting never came. Her smile dissipated a bit as she stared at the man's face. He looked like smiling with his golden eyes, and she could have been sure she saw a twitch on his lips as if he wanted to smile. And also the soft color that almost changed his cheek. She suddenly remembered her sister said something like a color on someone's face; they could be sick or something...? Is the kind man sick?

Gray could not remember when the last time he felt that way was. That warm feeling inside him when he saw her, it's pleasantly distracting. Just like when he found cute things amidst all of the madness in this place, which was understandably rare. So when he found one, he felt like treasuring it. Like a precious belonging he never wanted to let go. Like his knives? No, not like his knives. He threw that nonchalantly to his enemies and sometimes didn't even bother to pick those up, as much as he liked his weapon. Didn't even bother... He let his mind slip a bit and remembered something. That white rabbit dumped the little foreigner into their care and left. He could feel the heat increased towards an unpleasant kind of feeling at the thought. How dare he hurt something as fragile as her and didn't even bother to check her up. If that good for nothing rabbit dare to show up again, he'll make sure the puny rabbit won't live to see another day. He and his knives will.

The little girl found the man's face turning sour as she saw something glints his eyes. Not a pleasant one either. The smile in her face was gone now and she looked at him a bit uneasy. Is he really sick?

"Mister? Are you sick?" She asked, her brows frowned.

Gray blinked. He recovered from his thoughts quickly and looked at the situation. The little girl looked uneasy, if the voice and her expression were any indication. He must have wondered to long and made her like this. Now he felt bad, but he found the little one's pretty interesting and slightly intrigued to found that she's worrying over him. Knowing well they haven't become an acquaintance. He gave her a small smile to assure he's fine.

"Pardon my rudeness. I was lost in thought. You were saying?"

"You look sick." She put the crown down and touched his cheek with both her hands, a gesture her sister always does to her whenever she looked not good.

At her action, Gray could feel the blood rush back to his face. Her tiny hands touched him... His face... Ah, her hand is so soft and it sent tingling sensations through his veins. He let a smile escaped his lips as he enjoyed that short moment.

"We should go back. Mister's face red and warm." She said worriedly.

And there he went worrying her again. He should stop this and made it clear to her, he didn't want to make her worried at him. She's the one with a bandaged head after all, not him.

"I appreciate your concern, young miss. But I am fine as I can be, please do not worry."

She pulled her lips into a thin line at his answer. His face is almost as red as a strawberry and he's warm. How could she believe he's fine? It's just not fine.

"You are getting warm. And redder! Not fine!" she scolded. "We go back inside, okay? I don't want you get sick, mister." She pulled her hand back and gave him a warning look.

He looked at her pink colored eyes and felt himself melt more under her gaze. He's slightly disappointed at her retreating hands. But knowing somebody cared about him made him feel a bit of joy, because nobody he knew had really done that to him. Save for some occasions with his master, but that was because they shared a mutual feeling so it's only natural. And faceless didn't count. That's why he enjoyed this moment, and would definitely treasure it until the last tock of his clock ticks. He could still feel that feeling of her heartbeat resonating through her hands and the warmth of those tiny hands were what he enjoyed. He silently yearned for another one. But that may wait for the future. For now he could not make her worry more with his dilly-dallying. It might make her see him as a strange individual and gives the opposite effect of what he'd wanted.

He offered her another smile, this time a genuine one, and complied her request.

"Yes. We shall." Gray said as he picked her up and hoisted her in his arms.

He felt a tug on his tie and he looked down, "What is your name, mister?"

He blinked. "Gray... Ringmarc."

"I'm Wemy. Nice to meetchu." She said.

Gray blinked again, and then smiled. Again. Pink plastered on his cheeks. "You too."

The little girl smiled and after making sure the crown was in her hands, she nodded to Gray. Then they went back inside the tower as the time changed from noon to evening, unnoticed by the young one as they were already inside the place.

Nightmare pushed the stamp on the last paper on his desk and slumped to his chair. This is why he hated paperwork. He hated work. He would try anything to get rid all of these papers from his sight but the image of Gray giving him some kind of lecture would not be pleasant. Especially now that his assistant had a new 'little' assistant to support against him if he did not finish.

That was embarrassing. Getting scolded by the younger girl. But he smiled at the memory. He liked how she made her brows connect and forced her lips into a line, she wanted to look stern. But she didn't know it gave her the opposite result of stern. It made her cute! So cute! Hmm maybe he could make her stay for a little bit longer than she had to, he would like that. Oh yes, he would. He smiled at this.

Moreover, Gray seemed to have taken a liking to her already. So he could have the support he wanted regarding her stay. He just had to keep her stay a secret from other holders and he could have the girl all to himself. And the girl seemed to enjoy his company, much to his liking as he too enjoyed hers. Oh well, this is going to be fun!

He took the tea cup in his hands and took a sip. But when he felt nothing met his lips, he glanced at the cup and found it's already empty. Meh. He needed more drink. Where's Gray? It's another time change already and he hasn't come back. Hopefully not goading her himself.

He set the cup down and heard something in front of the door. The office door opened and Nightmare jumped from his seat and almost ran to the door. Giddy as ever to meet the little foreigner and play more with her because he knew it was her.

Gray stood in front of the door with the little girl hiding behind his legs. Nightmare blinked at the sight. What is she doing? He tried to read her mind but could only come up with humming inside her head. Well that's weird.

"Master Nightmare."

"Gray." He replied with a nod, and then he turned to Remy, slightly tilting his head, "Remy? What is it?" he smiled.

Gray reached backwards and latched his hand on her shoulder, muttering something that Nightmare couldn't quite hear from this distance. He saw the girl nodded then stepped forward, her hands behind her back. She looked at him timidly, some pink caressed her face. She wanted to give him something; he knew this without having to read her mind. He smiled.

"Is there something you want to say, Remy?" He softly asked.

"U-Um.." she stuttered. "Wemy.. Wants to thank you.. For taking care me yesterday." She produced a flower crown from behind her back and held it in front of her. She smiled timidly. "Thank you."

Nightmare's smile widened as he took the flower crown and put it on his head. A bit smaller than his head but he could still put it on. And then he took the little girl's hands in his. "I accept the gratitude. You're welcome and thank you." He bowed his head slightly.

She smiled and giggled. "You're welcome!"

Gray smiled slightly at the scene. He hated to break it but, he had to confirm. But the girl beat him to it.

"Your work done?"

Gray swore he saw his master's visible eye twitched, "Done!" his master replied cheerfully.

"Yay! Can we play, mister? Can we?" she turned to Gray.

Gray's eyebrow lifted slightly and his smile widen for just a bit. She's really asking for his permission. He suppressed a chuckle, but his expression gave him away, because Gray smiled and nodded.

"Yes."

One word. That's all they need. Nightmare and Remy exclaimed their delight and happily ran around the office playing cat chase, giggling and laughing at each other. Gray entered the room to take the empty tea cup and leave. As he was about to close the door, he shot them another look. Nightmare managed to close the gap between her and she played panic and went running again, all the way giggling and Nightmare chased her again while laughing. Gray felt his smile appeared again for the umpteenth time that day and closed the door. He walked in the hallway, his smile faltered but his mind swimming around.

Who could've known a single little foreigner could make him that colorful in a short time? He liked the little girl. That, he's sure. And he could see his master would like her company for a little longer, which he would not deny. He enjoyed her company in that short time too, and she made him show colors on his face too, which was a very rare sight. Even Alice couldn't make him express that many emotions. The little one's really interesting. And he could feel a little bit of jealousy when he saw her that colorful toward his master. He wanted the girl to laugh with him like that too. He wanted her to be that colorful with him too. Oh... He could spend his time with her later. For now, he could bring them tea and looked over his master's work, making sure nothing was skipped.