The walls of the museum were decorated with portraits and paintings from famed artist of multiple backgrounds, the centers of the extensive halls being occupied by sculptures and busts. Nils and Hans had walked by each work of art one by one, and if he knew of the artist, he would attempt to give an abridged biography about them. This was somewhat difficult for him as he was inclined to rattle on, particularly if the artist was a favorite of his. Nils only truly listened to his words half the time he spoke, his dark mind wading in shadowy waters of understanding. Sometimes, Nils would remark to himself that he should be paying attention; otherwise he might be thought of as rude by his new, extremely talkative companion. Hans was, in fact, highly aware of Nils' divided attention, but he tried to pretend that he wasn't in the hopes that eventually something he said would fully grasp the other man's attention. He'd already gotten farther than he usually had when making a new acquaintance, and he was determined not to lose the opportunity now by fading out as he often did.

Hans had just finished a monologue on a sculpture, and led Nils down to the other side of the walls, where he stopped before a painting of vivid, bright colors that immediately caught Hans' eye and made them shine in adoration. Nils followed almost blindly, hands hanging from his pockets by thumbs. Hans began his next lecture almost immediately with a smile almost as colorful as the work's.

After clearing his throat, Hans asked, "So, Nils, easy question: Who painted this?" Nils focused on it, but his head still drifted elsewhere, and he couldn't give an answer.

"I don't know. You'll have to educate me." Nils said blandly. Hans rolled his eyes in response with a smug smile, then indicated the label at the bottom of the painting with an open hand.

"Vincent van Gogh, probably one of my all-time favorites!"

"You've said that about almost all the artists we've went over so far."

"...I'm very bad at making top ten lists or whatever."

Nils rolled his eyes and nodded at the painting to cue Hans to continue. With a slightly worried twiddling of his thumbs, he repeated, "So, Van Gogh. This painting... it's called The Cafe Terrace on the Place du Forum." Hans' pronunciation of the French portion of the title was accurate to how the French themselves might say it, and Hans, thus far, made a point to articulate correctly the names of other paintings on their tour.

"This is the part where you tell me of its significance?" Nils presumed, to which Hans nodded vigorously with a particularly ecstatic expression. "It is! So glad you're listening to me," he chortled, continuing with, "Since you've been somewhere this whole time that wasn't here. Well, this one in particular is so interesting to me because it was Van Gogh's first painting with a starry sky. You know where it led?"

"Starry Night. Right?" Nils tersely replied.

"That's right! So that's why this painting is so important! It leads up to his most popular painting... like, ever."

Nils paused, then looked him the eye as he asked, "Well... Why is Van Gogh so important to you, anyways?"

Hans looked at him almost as if it were as obvious as a giraffe in a herd of zebras. "Why is Van Gogh so important? Well... He suffered from a lot of conditions. Lots of mental issues... very erratic, very lacking in self-confidence, very... depressed." The last word spoken was as if he was too familiar with it. "I just always thought that a man like that was the greatest to deal with all these horrible things, but still give to us his brilliance on a canvas! I mean, hell, Nils! He ate yellow paint because he thought it would make him happier!"

The Norwegian gave him a dubious stare, and wondered how on Earth something as simple as pigmented paste would make one's life less of an emotional hell. If life were that easy, people everywhere would be a lot more joyful, gulping down the sunny color like junk food. The very disgusting thought of it almost made him cringe, or at least, the idea of eating paint of all things to give him peace. Still, despite its ludicrous nature, Nils somehow found himself empathizing with Van Gogh on the theory.

Truth and lies were the very nature of his line of work, and it was his job to lie to an audience that he loved another actress who also lied about being the character he supposedly loved. Lies were the basis of acting, and he was a talented liar. Those who couldn't lie couldn't act, and that was just the way it was. As such, Nils had an acute sense of truths, lies, and acts, and had always been suspicious about Hans' own state of mind. Out of the blue, he guessed aloud.

"You don't have many friends, do you?"

The shocking accuracy of the question took Hans by surprise, and his smile flattened. He couldn't help but to answer honestly, even though he convinced himself that if he were anything less than perfect, nobody would want to associate with him. "No... I don't. I try. It's just really hard for me. And sometimes I don't understand it at all."

Nils nodded slowly, though Hans was quick to speak again. "But it's not like it's a bad thing! At least the ones I do have, I'm super close with!"

"You've no need to appear better than you are. It's actually..." Nils paused, briefly questioning whether or not to trust this new person with the abhorrent status of his own social life. "...A little funny how I'm the one who asks that."

"Why's that? You don't have many either?"

"Next to none."

"Not even your fellow thespians?"

"I work with them. That's all."

Hans' eyes seemed to sadden, and though he sometimes thought he was alone in the world on this problem, he now knew Nils was an even lonelier man than himself. "I'm sorry about that Nils. I really, really am." Hans commented sadly.

"You have no need to be. It only bothers me just a bit. Although... I suppose your company isn't so bad. Certainly more so striving to be familiar with me than my peers." Nils scoffed at his own dry remark about them.

"No kidding. But I definitely know how you feel if that's any other kinda' consolation or somethin'." Hans knitted his fingers together as he said so.

The Dane interested Nils, he wouldn't deny it as he'd only met him but a little over a week ago, but he seemed to care more than anyone else had at this stage in life. Therefore, he was very interested in acquiring more knowledge about the other's situation. "I appreciate it, but tell me a little more, if that's acceptable. I've been noticing the entire time. You fidget, at times when you're particularly nervous, your knees wobble a little. Social anxiety, if I had to take a stab at it...?" Hans was, again, shocked at how spot on Nils' guesses were.

"You could say that, yes. It's been a huge problem for a long time! I mean, my friends say that they're surprised when I tell them, and they say that I'm so lively or something like that. But it can happen to anyone, although I wish it didn't. My life's not exciting, and I try so much to make it how I want, but I can't." Hans' frustration was evident in the stress of his words, and Nils listened fervently.

"Is that so? Then I suppose that makes two of us. But, why isn't interesting? Didn't you say you were... what, an interior designer? Isn't art what you love to do?"

"Yes, it is! Just... not interior design. I mean, yeah, it's exciting, but I just studied in it because my mother always said that it's a better paying job than what I would've wanted to do instead."

"And? What is it you really wanted to do?"

"Be an illustrator! For like, kid's books and stuff! Fairy tales!" Hans' excitement at the mention of the occupation came across clearly enough to Nils to elicit a very quiet chuckle.

"I can see you really wanted that." he noted, and the Dane nodded excitably in return, but soon resumed his dreary demeanor on the subject.

"I did... but even though I got a better paying job, it's just not so great. Ya know? And it's really frustrating because even though I get paid more than I would've, I'm still stuck in an apartment. And then, all I do is exist. At least the theatre's painting jobs giving me something to look forward to."

Nils lifted a hand then, balled it into a fist, and lightly tapped it on Hans' shoulder. At least, he thought that's what regular people do when comforting. "Well, er... That's good, then. You do a great job at it." he assured the Dane.

The Dane almost seemed hopeful at Nils' small piece of encouragement, softly asking, "You really think so?" Yes, even Berwald would say something just like that, but Hans never thought highly of himself. With his dissatisfaction in life, he always considered it another failure to add to his pacific ocean-sized list of faults.

Yet, Nils only offered a sincere glance, filled with that of hardly seen compassion. The Norwegian almost never offered such a thing, as he tended to disregard all those around him. "Assuredly. I say it with no doubts. Someone of that merit, I think, would deserve a life more interesting than the one you describe having."

Such terms made Hans tremble where he stood, sheepishly staring down at his locked hands as if they would offer some sort of guidance to him on how to thank this man, much less respond back. However, shortly Hans' eyes returned up to meet with Nils', for as kind as he was being, Hans felt it was only right to return that favor. "But Nils, that goes for you, too."

"Excuse me?" Nils almost seemed confused by the other's consideration.

"Yeah! You do deserve it, too! You deserve friends, and I have no clue why someone won't reach out!"

"I thank you, but-"

Hans refused to take that as an answer outright. "No way! From now on, I'll call you every day! Every single, absolute day! I want to make sure you're happy! As my new friend, and all..." Hans trailed off, hoping Nils would affirm that they were, indeed, now more than just acquaintances.

Nils took a significant moment to think on it, but concluded it would be an advantage. Besides, all this time wallowing at home was wasting his time. There were more out in the immediate area who must be dealt with, and being trapped in another mud of depression was keeping him from deciding on another victim. "...Sure. Thanks. I'll look forward to it. It'd certainly make my home much less unbearably quiet."

A smile spread across Hans' face, glad to receive that he was now important to somebody else.

"And, you know," Hans continued as the other looked at him with a raised brow, "I can make that better. So let's make a deal. What we have? It's hard... And sometimes things happen, right? The waves of it... if you catch my drift. How's this sound: If you feel in the dumps at any time... just call, alright? We can arrange to hang out or something. I don't know if it'd do you any good, but you never know. I could use it, too, sometimes."

Nils wasn't surprised by many things, as he couldn't afford to be. But he hadn't had anybody this close to him in ages, and it wasn't so close at all when given considerable thought. The last time he chose to rely on someone, it bit him in the throat and tried to strangle him. It certainly succeeded in leaving a gaping wound in his heart, but he vowed never to let it occur again. Despite this, the fool he could now call friend might actually be able to help him. Cats might be fuzzy, but they don't speak, even if he tried hard to picture it when he talked to Vidar.

The proposal put forth by Hans was subsequently accepted, much to Hans' sheer delight, and they continued on their quest through the museum, though with a bit more energy on Nils' role by actively listening to Hans this time around. The Dane's heart squealed like a child with a new puppy as he found it gradually easier to speak with Nils throughout the tour, and could swear on his life that he could practically feel in his bones the new bonds strengthening, only increasing his happiness. The art history lessons slowly began to melt into small talk and conversation, and by the time they left, Hans and Nils were several cents more content than their rigid meeting in front of the doors hours before.

Hi all, it's author Lulu. Immensely sorry for the length between the last update and this one, school and a new job's been going on, so I cranked this one out. Also sorry that it's very short, but I hope you like strengthening friendships anyways. As always, reviews and things like that are always welcome.

-Lulu