Veld looked at Vincent, then at Nero, and back again. Rejecting the first comment that came to mind - and the second, and the third - he took a slow breath and said, "Nero, would you mind helping me put these groceries away?"

"Um, no. I mean, sure. I mean, I wouldn't mind." Nero took the bags from him. "But I don't know exactly where everything goes."

"Anything cold goes in the refrigerator," said Veld, "and the boxes and cans go in the cupboards next to the stove. Fresh produce goes in the vegetable bin."

"Yessir." Nero disappeared into the kitchen, with one apprehensive glance back at Veld. He wasn't stupid; there would be Words, and he was the topic.

Veld turned back to Vincent. "You told him he could stay here."

"He's been sleeping in a cave, Veld."

"Vincent," said Veld, holding onto his patience, "this is the guy that killed two patrolmen."

"They attacked him first."

"Nearly wiped out an entire infantry unit."

"He explained that," Vincent said. "He was trained to kill, not to play."

"Yes. He was. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

"He's never touched either of us! He won't hurt us."

"He showed up in our bedroom," said Veld. "In the middle of the night, through the ceiling, Vincent. Do you really think he understands boundaries?"

Vincent crossed his arms. "I get it. You're still mad that your shot missed."

"It didn't miss," said Veld. "It grazed him. And that's not the point."

"No, the point is that you don't trust him! And yet you just sent him to put stuff away in our kitchen."

"Groceries," said Veld, "are replaceable."

"Oh, for--a cave, Veld! Sleeping in a godsdamned cave."

"Well, it apparently hasn't done him any harm."

"How can you say that!" Vincent shoved his hair back with both hands. "He's a kid!"

"No, he's not," said Veld, trying to be reasonable and rational, and all the things Vincent didn't seem to want to be when it came to Nero. "He's an adult. He commanded a unit in Deepground. He's not a child. Did you even ask him if he wants to stay here?"

That caught Vincent off guard. His eyes flicked toward the kitchen. "He's okay with it."

"Vincent. Did you ask him?"

"I...sort of told him."

"Right." The quiet sounds of cupboard doors opening and closing had stopped a couple of minutes ago. Wondering if Nero had simply left via shadows rather than become a point of contention, Veld called out, "Nero?"

"Yes, Sir?" Nero poked his head out of the kitchen, giving Vincent a wary glance.

"How do you feel about staying with us?"

"Um. I'm okay with the cave, sir. Really, it's not a problem."

Vincent rolled his eyes. "Nero, we talked about this. It's damp and cold and dirty, it can't possibly be comfortable. Why on earth would you want to stay there?"

"It's safe there," said Nero very quietly. "The only way in or out is by shadow. We used to hide from the Restrictors there. We could keep stuff in there that we weren't supposed to have. It was always a safe place for us."

"But it's safe here!" Vincent looked at Veld. "Tell him!"

"And the mako pool is there," said Nero. "I need that."

Veld smirked. "You planning to fill the bathtub with dark mako, Vince?"

"The cave is fine," said Nero, eyes darting back and forth between Veld and Vincent.

"The cave is not fine." The words were directed more at Veld, who also got the benefit of a full-on, patented Valentine glare. "Why did you agree to sponsor him if you don't trust him? If he wanted to kill us he'd have had tried to already!"

"I don't want to kill you!" Nero's voice buzzed through the respirator, as though he'd gotten short of breath. "I...I should go."

"Please don't," Vincent said, reaching for his arm. Nero flinched, just barely, and Vincent stopped short of touching him. "Don't go. I can't stand the thought of you sleeping in a cave."

Ah, there it was. "Vincent," said Veld gently, "this is more about you than about Nero, isn't it?"

Vincent's mouth opened, but nothing came out. They'd never discussed the paternity issue with Nero, and even Vincent could tell this wasn't the time or place. He scowled, but it lacked heat. "I just...he...Well, what kind of sponsor would let him sleep in a freaking cave?"

"But I don't mind," said Nero. He glanced down, clearly uncomfortable. "I'm not really used to sleeping in a bed. We all...Rosso and Weiss and I... slept together on the floor. Never used our beds. I haven't slept alone in a bed since I was very little."

"But, you're alone in the cave," said Vincent, thoroughly confused. "How is that better?"

"I didn't say it was better." Nero's eyes remained firmly fixed on the carpet. "I said I was used to it."

Veld winced. Maybe Vincent did have a point, even if it was based more on his own hopes than on any possible harm to Nero. Vincent's heart, such as it was, was in the right place. The pleading look he turned on Veld sealed the deal.

"Nero, we'd like you to have a safe place on the surface, too," said Veld. "You can always stop at the cave for a mako bath. And, you know, eventually, you'll be spending nights at the Turk barracks. Might as well get used to sleeping up top, if you can."

Nero said nothing, evidently thinking it through. At a sign from Veld, Vincent kept silent, and Veld knew how difficult it was for him.

At last Nero looked up, with a slight, hesitant smile at the edges of his respirator. "Okay. I'll give it a try. And...thank you. It's very kind of you."

"All right, then. I guess you're our new roommate after all."