019 ~ [Action]

[soreplaceable]

[After a certain incident resulted in Ion leaving House One for a week, it was finally fime for him to make his way back home. He'd spent more than enough time feeling guilty about what had happened, and for leaving in the first place. He couldn't just keep avoiding things forever, could he?]

[Of course, it'll take him a little while to actually get

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action;

[outbranch]

[Hubert is nowhere near as nosy as Asbel, but he's still a curious child. It isn't very easy to ignore someone with an out-of-it vibe, which is why he's seated by a desk not too far from the corner, eyeing the effeminate boy in the corner. Now and then he goes back to reading the book, but he can't not look at Ion for too long. Maybe it's curiosity, maybe it's concern, maybe it's both. Eventually, he sets the book down and speaks up softly:]

Um . . .

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[soreplaceable]

[Ion glances up when he hears someone speak, mostly because he knew this was a rather out-of-the-way section in the library and hadn't expected to see many people around.]

[And he certainly hadn't expected to see a tiny Hubert looking back at him.]

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[soreplaceable]

[But he'll set his book down and manage a small smile nonetheless.]

Hello, there.

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[outbranch]

[Without Asbel to hide behind, he instinctively raises the book to cover a part of himself. It's irrational, since he's the one that "spoke" first, but he can't help it. He'd insisted on going to the library and he'd gone alone.]

H-hello.

Are you all right . . . ?

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[soreplaceable]

[Aww, he must be shy. But Ion pays it no mind, keeping that smile on his face.]

Yes, I'm all right. Though it's very kind of you to ask. [He wouldn't push his problems on a child.] My name is Ion. What's your name?

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[outbranch]

[He didn't seem all right, but . . . ]

I'm Hubert Lhant. It's nice to meet you.

[He throws a small nod in there for a quasi-bow, since he's sitting. But if Ion wants to be left alone, Hubert feels a little bad for just butting in like this.]

Is . . . this a bad time?

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[soreplaceable]

Not at all. [Gosh Hubert, you were even super polite as a kid! And now he'll forever see Hubert as moe.] To be honest, I haven't been able to focus on my reading very much today.

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[outbranch]

[So something did happen, or Ion must be tired.] Um, if something's bothering you, then we can talk about it.

[Oh, no, wait. That sounded too bold.] I-it's better to let it out than bottle it up, but you don't have to if you don't want.