[1x1] Matched Together

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

"Goodnight," Henry replied, rubbing the back of his head before turning away to walk back down the hallway. He made his way back to the dining room and spoke to the group, letting them know that Ezra wouldn't be joining them. They weren't very happy, but went ahead with dinner. After having a bit of dinner with the group, Henry dismissed himself also and went back to his room for the night.


Preparing himself for bed, he bathed, dressed in loose clothes, and finally went to bed. While on bed, Henry heard a knock at his door and saw a small slip of paper pushed under the crack of his door. Sighing, the male knew this was his schedule for tomorrow. The very same schedule had likely been given to Ezra under her door too. They would have similar schedules tomorrow, being forced to get to know each other better. Henry was not looking forward to it one bit.


((Feel free to timeskip to the next day if you have nothing else to add for the evening or nighttime. ))

 

[LittleDreamerOfSorts]

Ezra had never had trouble falling asleep. It was staying asleep that was the problem. In her sleep was the only time her mind would wander to where she would never allow it to go during the day. She watched each of their faces as the sickness took hold. First her little brother, then her mother, her father, and finally her older brother. Screams escaped her sleeping mouth as her family was taken from her. Tears rolled down both cheeks and collected in her pillow that she hugged against her. She couldn't understand why the sickness had let her live and taken everything else away.

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Allowing all the muscles in his body to relax, it wasn't long before Henry began to drift to sleep. Unlike Ezra, however, he dreamed of nothing. He had an empty, blissful sleep--until he was awoken by Ezra's scream that is. Gasping, Henry shot up from his bed with wide eyes. Feeling his heart start to pound, he glanced to the door and climbed off his bed. The scream scared him. There were a number of reasons why someone could have been screaming, and on occasion it was because someone had broken into the manor.


Picking up a fire iron off the floor to use as an item to defend himself in case of danger, Henry swiftly moved out the door. Once in the hallway, he glanced around for a moment or two before realizing that the scream had come from Ezra's room. He bit his lip and moved toward her door, knocking on it with one hand while he kept the fire iron behind his back with the other. "Is everything all right in there?" he asked, hoping she had only screamed because she saw a bug or mouse and not because someone had broken into their home.

 

[LittleDreamerOfSorts]

Ezra's eyes blinked open and she sat up swallowing to wet her dry throat. Her eyes glanced around the room until she realized that it was a knock on the door that had woken her up. She blinked her eyes a few times trying to get the images of her nightmares out of her head. Drowsily she slipped out from under the covers and touched her bare feet to the floor which met with a surprising coldness.


She opened the door wiping tears from her eyes with her sleeves pulled over her hand. She fought off more tears that threatened to poor from her eyes. "Did you say something?" she asked drowsily. "I was- I was sleeping."

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Before he could gain a reply from Ezra, he heard the sound of her bare feet walking against the cold floor. He opened his mouth as if to speak again, but stopped himself when the red head opened her door and appeared before him. Glancing behind her first to make sure there were no intruders in her room, Henry sighed in relief when there weren't any. After he was done looking behind her, he returned his attention to the red head, just barely seeing her tears glistening in the dim light.


"If sleeping sounds like a loud cry from an injured wolf, then I will certainly agree with you. But normally it doesn't so I am concerned." Henry tilted his head, looking at her face. "Are you crying? Is something the matter?" He tried to piece together what could have been wrong with Ezra, finally realizing the possibility that her scream could have been from a nightmare. It could have only been that or something in the room that scared her, but it was a rather nice and clean room, so the blond doubted that was the case.

 

[LittleDreamerOfSorts]

Ezra leaned her head to the side, resting it on the doorframe. "Sorry it's just- the nightmares haven't stopped since it happened. Since they died. Well, they're less nightmares and more memories." She turned her hazel eyes on him instead of the floor beginning to wake up. "Why are you asking anyways?" she asked "It's not like you're concerned." She brushed her hair behind her ear suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed that he had to come to her door due to her screams. She quickly wiped more tears from her eyes with her sleeve.

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Feeling a bit chilly standing in the hallways outside her door, Henry began to rub his arms. A frown was on his face, continuing to study Ezra now with certainty that she just had a nightmare. The more his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the area, the more the blond young man could tell she was quite upset. Her expression clearly showed it. "If I wasn't concerned, I wouldn't be standing in front of your door asking what the matter was. I understand if I'm not exactly the kind of person you wish to speak with about something like this, but most have gone to bed at this hour so I'm the only one who is around." He shrugged, glancing away from her. "I won't be going to bed any time soon, and clearly you won't be either, so how about we go to the kitchen and grab some warm drinks?"

 

[LittleDreamerOfSorts]

Ezra shook her head. "No, I uh I'd rather stay in my room." she protested, deciding she didn't want to walk around the mansion with a tearstained face. "And who said I wanted to talk about it?" she brushed her fingers through the ends of her hair needing something to do with her hands quickly placing her hand over her each other, pinching the strand of fiery hair and pulling downwards. She noticed his shivers and dropped her hands by her side adding "but I mean if you're cold- I'll wait here for you." She shifted her weight between her bare feet uncomfortably.

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

"Did I ever say we had to talk about it? No; we don't have to talk about anything. I just said we could walk to the kitchen and grab some warm drinks. Are you sure you don't want to?" Henry asked, shifting slightly on his feet. He averted his gaze from her and glanced down at his hands before he began to rub them together, trying to heat them up a little bit with friction. "But if you don't want to come, you don't have to wait for me. I'll be fine by myself." He shrugged and turned away, considering going to the kitchen himself. "I hope you're okay. Sorry if you're shaken up."

 

[LittleDreamerOfSorts]

Ezra shook her head. "It's not your fault. You don't have to apologize." she rung her hands together watching him trying to stay warm. She was used to the cold, having slept outside most nights. The chilly air didn't bother her much. "I didn't say you wouldn't be fine by yourself. You said you wanted company or at least implied it. If you wanted my company. I'll be in my room." She slowly shut the door and turned around brushing her fingers through her hair letting out a breath.

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Glancing down to the ground, Henry rubbed his foot on the floor. "I only implied wanting company because I was worried about you. You seemed to have been startled by a nightmare and in need of someone nearby, but I suppose if you wanted company you wouldn't have went back into your room," Henry replied, hearing the sound of Ezra's door shut as she returned to her room. "Goodnight then," he added to his words. "If you need me, I will be in the kitchen momentarily before returning to my room." He slowly continued to walk away, just in case she changed her mind and decided to follow him. He hadn't a clue how he should approach her, but for now decided it best to give her space and let her decide when and where she wanted to see him.

 

[LittleDreamerOfSorts]

Ezra leaned back against the door listening to his muffled voice through the closed door. She turned back around having thought he had been finished talking to her. She wasn't used to being able to share her burdens with someone else. She wasn't used to trusting people. It was hard to ask for help. She had thought that she had made it clear that it was okay for him to come in, but he wasn't getting it. Or maybe he just didn't want to. She couldn't force herself to reach for the handle and open the door to ask for him to come back. Turning back around, she leaned against the door sliding to the floor and buried her head in her knees. It couldn't be genuine-his wanting to help. It had to be fake. She still couldn't find it in herself to trust him. It was probably best that he left when he did.

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

After Henry had made his way to the kitchen, he prepared a hot drink of tea for himself. Surprisingly, he made another drink afterwards. He was sorely tempted to take it to Ezra, but again was worried about invading her personal space. She seemed to be a rather pushy and defensive person, leading him to believe she didn't let people in very often, not even for a short conversation. Sipping on his tea for a few moments, an idea popped into his head and he raced from the kitchen.


When he returned to his own room--and Ezra's room next to his--he placed the cup of hot tea outside her door and went into his room. He moved to the corner of his room, opening a tarnished bird caged that had been there for the longest time. Inside was a small pigeon that had been trained to deliver letters. He took it out, sat it on his shoulder, and went to his desk to write a small note on a tiny piece of parchment paper. Tying the note to the bird's leg with a bit of string, he moved over to his window and sent he bird out. He ordered it to land right next door, on the edge of Ezra's window. Once it had landed, it tapped on her window with it's beak, waiting to deliver the small message left by Henry that read: "Open your door and look on the floor. -Henry" Pleased with his idea, Henry knew that now she could have a warm drink and not be bothered by him.

 

[LittleDreamerOfSorts]

Ezra lifted her head from her lap hearing the tapping. She stared at the window watching the bird. Slowly, she got to her feet and approached the window watching the curious animal. She opened the window taking hold of the bird before noticing the note it carried. She took the small piece of paper and unfolded it. It contained scribbles that she didn't understand. She gripped the paper and walked back to the door to go ask Henry what it meant and knocked over the cup on the floor. She looked down wondering how the drink had gotten there. She looked back and forth down the hallway, but didn't see anyone in sight. She could feel the warm liquid under her bare feet so it had been brought up recently. She stepped to the door next to her and knocked.

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Once Henry had sent his bird away, he made his way over to his bed. He sat on the edge of his bed and sipped on his warm cup of tea for a few more minutes, allowing himself to become lost in thought, before placing the cup on his nightstand. He then prepared to lie back in bed, startled when he heard a knock at his door. Sighing, Henry got up and made his way to the door--wondering if he would find Ezra at the door or someone else. When he opened the door and saw Ezra, he nodded to her politely. "Is there something you needed?" he asked. "Did you find the cup of tea outside your door?"

 

[LittleDreamerOfSorts]

Ezra turned her head back toward the spilled tea. "Uh, yeah." She muttered before turning back to Henry and handed the note toward him. "I think this is for you. There um, there was a bird in my window." she stammered on, not sure how to explain how she acquired the note. "I came to give it to you and knocked over the tea on the floor. It's quite an odd place to leave tea." She rubbed her arm uncomfortably, deciding to stop rambling on. She stared at Henry waiting for him to take the note.

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Henry tilted his head after hearing Ezra's words, slightly confused. Why would she think the note was for him? Had she not read it? The blond young man hesitated to say anything at first, but after a moment decided that telling her the truth was better than saying nothing. "Actually, the note is for you and I'm the one who left the tea in front of your door. I sent the note so you would know I left it there for you without me having to knock on your door and bother you again." He rubbed his head awkwardly. "Sorry you tripped over the tea." He didn't understand why she didn't look at the note, but apparently she hadn't thought it was for her.

 

[LittleDreamerOfSorts]

Ezra looked down at the note embarrassed. She folded it between her fingers. She fell silent for a few moments having lost the ability to use her voice. She lifted her head from her hands after a moment too long of silence swallowing. "I um- I can't read." she admitted holding the note between her fingers uncomfortably. She chewed on her lip worried that he might start to realize she wasn't who she said she was and quickly came up with an explanation. "Father thought reading was for boys and I had no use for it."

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Henry's mouth dropped open. He immediately felt like the world's biggest idiot. "Y-You don't know how to read?" he asked, stammering. That most certainly was a surprising turn of events. "I'm surprised. I figured that all nobles knew how to read. I have a younger sister and she's been learning, my mother knows, and even my mother's relatives know how." Henry thought only the poor didn't know how to read, but maybe he had been wrong. "I'm sorry, I must look like the world's biggest fool to you for assuming you knew something you didn't. On the bright side, you can learn to read here if you would like," he offered, rubbing the back of his head.

 

[LittleDreamerOfSorts]

Ezra kept her eyes down on the floor feeling tears threaten to burst behind her eyes. She had expected him to make fun of her, to tease her. The one thing she hadn't expected was kindness. It shook her down to the core. She struggled to keep her emotions under check. To keep her lip from trembling, she bit down on it unable to come up with a reply. She just stood in front of the older boy feeling quite vulnerable.

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Because his blue eyes were adjusted to the dim light of the area, Henry quickly noticed when Ezra's eyes welled up with tears. He was completely surprised once again, wondering if he had said something to hurt her feelings. He hadn't the slightest clue she was simply overwhelmed by his kindness. "Forgive me, but what did I say? Did I offend you in some way?" he asked, worried. "I was only trying to be nice by offering you such a thing. I didn't intend to hurt your feelings."

 

[LittleDreamerOfSorts]

Ezra rubbed her eyes on her sleeve. "No, it's nothing. I um I just lost my parents that's all." she muttered trying to make sense of her emotions. She closed her eyes with a sigh. They reopened after a moment clear of tears. "Can you um- get your bird out of my room? It's flying around. I can't catch it."

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

"Right," Henry replied, rubbing the back of his head. He kept forgetting that Ezra had just lost her parents and that she might be upset from time to time. "All right, I'll help you catch the bird. He's actually quite friendly. I trained him since he was hatched," the blond explained, turning to a cabinet in his room. He went inside it and took out a small pouch filled with bird seed before exiting his room and making his way over to Ezra's. Once inside the room, he gestured for the red head to give him her hand. He poured a little bit of bird seed in it and told her to hold still, watching as the bird flew and landed on her hand to nibble at the food.

 

[LittleDreamerOfSorts]

Ezra looked down at her hand watching the bird land and peck at the seeds. "Can, can you stay? Just until I fall asleep." she brushed her hair behind her ear keeping her eyes on the bird. "I don't want to be alone." She held out her hand, nudging the bird onto Henry's hand. "He's a nice bird."

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Henry's eyes widened slightly, surprised that Ezra would want him to stay. He didn't have a problem with it, but was startled that she would want him nearby when she seemed to want her space a little while ago. "Certainly, I can stay. Just give me a moment to run my bird back to his cage." He smiled when his fiancée said he was a nice bird. "Thank you. His name is Stone, he's a pigeon," he replied, taking the bird back onto his finger. "I'll be right back."