As Long As The Conclusion Is Eventually Reached, Right?

For what it was worth, Eduard was beginning to feel like a horrible friend.

"It's going perfectly," he found himself saying to Tino, as Tino had him seated on the stool that almost seemed to be reserved for him and his complaining. Eduard was not even certain why it was he was complaining. After all, it was going splendidly, just as he had said.

"Oh?" Tino prompted, all attention toward him. They were the only one's in the store. Berwald was not even in the back room. Apparently he was up fixing something last night and so Tino had made him sleep in. And, as always, Tino making Berwald do anything always seemed strange. Not that he doubted that that was the case. It just sounded strange.

"Every single day he practically pays me with some new business advice," Eduard rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "And it all works. Logic all dictates that it will continue to do so. All of this just to stay in one of my extra rooms... it is not even one of the extravagant ones..."

"Are you feeling guilty about getting so much for giving so little?" Tino asked, a slight frown on his face as he appeared to be thinking about it.

Eduard shook his head. "No. I'm feeling suspicious."

"Ah..." Tino stared at him. Eduard knew what he was going to say. He was being paranoid. Perhaps he was being paranoid. There was no reason to think that Sadiq was trying to trick him. After all, if he did that he would practically be ejected from town. Vash would not deal for such things and the entire reason Sadiq was staying with him was because he and Elizaveta had some falling out years ago or something. It seemed like a rather stupid that Sadiq was trying to dupe him.

So maybe he was being paranoid?

"I think you're being a little paranoid," Tino said thoughtfully. Eduard just managed to keep himself from groaning, instead nodding slightly at his friend's wise words. "You have always had trust issues, Ed. I can already guess that you have taken all of the precautions in case this advice turns out to be bad?"

"That isn't a trust issue, that's being financially smart," Eduard argued. Tino shook his head.

"But you have done something?"

"Of course."

"Then what do you have to loose?"

Eduard opened his mouth to respond, but realized that his first response would not be something that was good enough for Tino. "He's using my space."

"In a business transaction you are really in control of," Tino continued, standing up. "So really, Eduard, what is it that you could really loose? I'll be right back, I have to get Hanatamago."

Tino left and Eduard sat there, thinking about it. What did he have to loose? His peace of mind, that was one thing. Privacy, for there had been a couple nights he had woken up and thought that someone had broken in, forgetting that Sadiq was there. Maybe he was a little jumpy with that shotgun, but it was not as if he had actually shot anyone. Anything.

And here he was, talking with Tino so Tino could make him think of something he had already known. How come he always needed that reassurance?

Tino was right again. He really did have trust issues. What would he loose by letting Sadiq continue to stay with him? The man was polite enough. Checking into the room, he was very neat and so Eduard did not have to worry about the condition of the room when the other left. He stayed out of Eduard's way, but when they did talk Sadiq seemed like less of an idiot than Eduard used to think him as. And he was a very good businessman. From what Eduard could tell. After all, he had roped Eduard into this deal without Eduard's usual amount of thought.

No. Sadiq was not a businessman, at least, not just. He was a salesman. And a very good one. Eduard was caught, hook, line, and sinker.

What could he loose if Sadiq was lying? Face and confidence.

What would he gain if Sadiq's words were all truth?

Why was this issue bothering him more than the fact that Natalia kept showing up and asking him for advice about how to talk to her sister?

"You are right," Eduard admitted when he heard Tino's footsteps return. "The pros outweigh the cons. It is a risk I can make..." he faltered when he saw the look on Tino's face. "What's wrong?"

"Hanatamago's gone," Tino responded faintly. "I looked out there and he wasn't there... I called and he didn't come. He's gone."

Immediately Eduard got to his feet. "Maybe he just wandered off a little far. Let's go out and look again." Tino nodded, instantly turning around and Eduard followed him out the back. At least they did not have to worry about automobile traffic here. No, there were other things to worry about out in Hearth. None of which were very likely to be lethal to someone's dog. It was more likely the people.

"Hana!"

"Hanatamago!"

But as they continued to call and the dog did not return, Eduard became as concerned as Tino. Hanatamago was not the type of dog to wander off too far and he always returned when Tino or Berwald called. Maybe Berwald had already brought him in without them noticing? He suggested it to Tino, so the other would calm down. Tino rushed back inside and Eduard let out a sigh.

Tino always, even when not on purpose, made him realize how very small his problems actually were compared to how he thought they were.


Notes:

Is it Hanatamago? I never thought about it much, whether it should be Hanatamago or Hana-Tamago, for I have seen it both ways and more. I do not know.