After several hours of walking and looking around.
Taylor had grown extremely bored.
He had learned a lot.
Then explored a lot.
And most of all, he had ate a lot of delicious goods.
Plus he's legs were growing extremely tired.
*Should I go back.*
He thought, glancing at the sky.
*My day is already spent.*
Then he remembered the large amount of copper coins jingling in him pockets.
*Nah, Lennie had given me this money to spend on my self. She'd be disappointed if I came back empty handed. Plus it would make it harder to manipulate her, for more stuff in the future. I should probably get something for her too, but what?*
He pondered.
Suddenly a sudden figure caught his eye through the moving crowd.
*Huh?*
He looked back to double-check.
He instantly recognised the figure.
That long, cascading hair and those sharp-emerald green-sharp eyes.
It was Gloria the woman from the Golden Anchor…
She was standing was standing near a local postal office.
She carefully sealed a letter into the slot of a steet male box.
*Huh? Is he perhaps sending a letter to her family maybe?*
He thought.
He watched her as she secretly latch the box.
*Seems rude not to greet her. Plus, nothing interesting is happening.*
She was wearing a simple delicate dress.
Instead of her structural uniform.
He walked up behin her and pulled on the fabric on her skirt.
Just a little to get her attention.
She turned around quickly.
Her defective instincts kicking in.
But as they eyes locked, he immediately softened his expression and greeted her.
"Good morning, Miss Gloria."
She looked confused for a split second.
Her analytical gaze scanning his youthful features before recognition clicked.
"Oh, it's you again. That cute boy from before, Taylor was it not?"
*Cute? Hmm… define cute? Nah, I'd say I'm average at best.*
He froze at the statement.
*Still, what weird way to remember me by.*
"Yeah, that's me."
He said, hesitantly.
"Why are you here all alone? Did you get lost? Kids shouldn't wonder by themselves you know?"
She came closer kneeling down on one knee on the cobblestone floor.
Her face for some reason was filled with maternal worry.
She was really close.
Close enough for Taylor to notice tiny faint puncture holes.
They weren't visible immediately visible to a passerby.
But from his distance, they were unmistakable.
*Track marks?*
"Let's go find somewhere to sit and you can explain."
Taylor simply nodded.
Keeping his expression entirely innocent.
A few moments later.
They found themselves sitting side-by-side by themselves.
On a quiet wooden bench.
Taylor was munching on a cinnamon bun.
Happily wagging his his legs.
Gloria stared blankly ahead quietly mumbling to herself.
"Thanks a lot agin, for the snack, Miss Gloria."
He said, between bites.
"No, problem… and you can quit it with the 'Miss' I'm not that old."
"Okay, Miss Gloria."
She let out a faint sigh in defeat.
"Whatever…"
She said, before continuing.
"Seriously, who in the world would let a child wander all by himself, In such a massive town."
*A really badass guardian.*
"Oh, my aunt, or my guardian actually just a family friend… if you can call it that."
He replied, wiping the crumbs off his waistcoat.
"Interesting…"
Gloria murmured, absentmindedly.
Her hand drifted down, and she began nervously scratching on the tiny holes on her forearm.
Taylor noticed the frantic movement but kept his mouth shut.
"Anyways, you should be extremely careful."
She cautioned.
Her tone suddenly deepening into something heavy and solemn.
"Children as young as you shouldn't be left to wander alone in a place like this. Bad things could happen."
As she spoke her emerald eyes glazed over.
Staring into the distance.
She didn't seem to be talking about him anymore.
He stared at her almost pained, haunted expression.
*Intresting…*
He thought.
"Are you perhaps talking from experience?"
He questioned, keeping his voice quiet.
Gloria snapped out of her trance, looking down at him.
Visibly taken aback by the question.
It wasn't like she was talking to a child anymore.
"Yes, I was."
She answered softly.
Her voice trembling slightly as she leaned back, against the bench.
"Yeah, I am."
"Well, you can tell me anything."
He said, setting the rest of his cinnamon bun down in the brown paper bag.
Gloria let out a soft, melancholic laugh.
Shaking her head.
"No, a kid like you wouldn't understand."
"But even so, it always feels good to talk to someone."
He countered, looking straight ahead at the passing townspeople.
"It help's release some of the pant up emotions, you know?."
She grew quite, looking at him out of the corner of her emerald green eye.
She reaches up and brushed away a stray tear.
Before it could even fall down her cheek.
A soft bittersweet smile tugging at her lips.
"You know… you really don't look it, but you are mature for your age."
"You'd be surprised if I told you, how often I get that."
He said, flashing an innocent grin as he lazily scratched the back of his head.
***
A/N:
[My fingers hurt…]