Charles
He used a fast pace for a long way until home, not looking back for a single second, neither to see if the young boy was following him.
For once, he was glad about the usual crowd being there on the streets, useful to make disappear their traces and not being noticed by unwanted eyes.

As he reached the door, it opened by itself as the magic recognized Alexander's aura. A security method he learned to not let intruders trying to get into his manor, as it happened only once.

《Welcome in my manor, mr. Nicola.》He said as his hearing could notice the little steps of the boy following him, like a lost child.
He mantained the doors open for him until his decision to take step in.
Eric
Nico tried his best to keep up with Alexander, panting heavily. Even if he has a smaller physique that didn't weight him, his energy drained fast today.
Carrying the package and following the taller man like a father who oriented their son.

Once arriving at the manor, he gasped in disbelief. Entering the house, he was still surprised.
"It's so... Woah-"
Charles
A manor that welcomed Nicola with its vintage style that was applied in every single detail, every object and furniture perfectly matched.
The door closed by itself, the candles still burning but not consuming themselves. 
A silent atmosphere, their footsteps echoing all over. 
The doctor proceeded to walk into the living room, a large space where there were two armchairs and a couch in front of a fireplace.

《Take a seat. Would you want something to drink? I have quite lot of options.》
Eric
He never saw decor in such way... A sort of medieval throwback filled his mind and lungs; it was good.
All he saw in his life were suburbs, bars, merchant streets and... *That* House.

"This place is so big and— pretty! You designed it yourself?"
He asked, sitting down.
"I'll take a water, if it isn't an issue."
Charles
《I restored it. Years ago, it was just a pile of ruins.》He calmly answered, going to take a glass of water for Nicola into the kitchen, a little far away from the living room. 
In the meanwhile, the fireplace took life by its flames slowly consuming the wood, revealing with the light some of ancient armors on the wall, pictures of different places from all over the Kingdoms, painted by hand.
As the silence was returning, someone silently approached the new guest...
Brandy
《Look at you, quite a surprise seeing a strangere here.》A white cat jumped on the top of the couch, observing Nicola.
The voice was soft, a little high pitched but not too annoying.
Eric
He waited for the older man return, looking around the house in amazement. Each thing was more interesting than the other.
What caught his eye was the fireplace, warm and vivid... It made him relax— Until he noticed the cat.

"AH— Oh... Wait did you just talk-? I don't care, you're so cute!"
He wanted to squish that cat out of cuteness...
Brandy
As the young man tried to reach her with one hand, she gently tapped it with a paw, without releasing the claws. 

《Ha ha! A gentleman should ask before touching a lady!》She said, licking after the fur of the paw with elegance, sitting on one side of the couch.

《I am Her Majesty, and who are you?》
Eric
"I... *I don't talk to women often uhm-*"
It was like she read his mind, he was severely confused.

"Uhm... Nicola.."
Brandy
《Well, you can practice with a lady like me. Glad to meet you, Nicola. Tell me: why mr. Deroy brought you here? He doesn't have visitors... Not that much often.》She seems to be very proud of her name, the manners she learned by copying her beloved owner... Or because he kept spoiling her through the years.
Eric
"Well, I..."
You could notice he was nervous. Nervous. To talk to a woman. The hell—
"I got in a fight with a salesman, hurt my nose, hah... Uhm- my hands too. I bumped on Mr. Deroy on my way, and he offered to help me."
Brandy
《Ah, I understand now. Mr. Deroy can be very generous when he is not-》Footsteps noises made her interrupt her speech, making her ears pointing up and searching with her eyes around the room.
Suddendly, she jumped off the couch, reaching Alexander and rubbing her fur against his leg, purring pretty loudly.
Charles
In the middle of his own absence, he prepared a glass of water for Nicola and a cup of tea for himself, bringing them into the living room and placing on the table that was in front of the two men.
Noticing Her Majesty, he picked her up on his arms before sitting on the sofa with her on the lap.

《You met Her Majesty, hope she behaved well.》
Eric
"Hm—?"
His head peaked up, looking at Alexander, who just returned. A smile built upon his face, chuckling.

"Everything went fine, don't worry. Thanks for the water, by the way."
Charles
《Glad to know, and no need for thanking.》He took his cup and started to sip little by little, enjoying the taste in silence.

《Those sleeping gasses. You produce them by yourself?》
Eric
"Mhm, all by myself... There's this, uhm-"
He stood up, unbuttoning his vest and pulling his shirt up.

"So you see that blue translucent part of my body? I produce them because of it! It's still like skin is there, but also is quite sensitive."
A few black particles moved around, almost as if his torso and back were made of a fish tank.

"I expel these gases sometimes when I'm calm, angry or nervous. Sometimes I can manipulate it too... But only whenever I'm focused."
Charles
He observed accurately at the boy's torso, listening to his explanation while his gaze was following some of the particles moving around that part of the body.
So he was the creator of the sleeping gasses, if not the true core of them. 
After that, he gestured with one hand to Nicola that he could pull down again the shirt.

《Interesting. So this is why your family "Needs" You that much, am I right?》
Eric
He let go from his shirt, letting it fall down.
"Eh, kind of. Not really for my gases, but because we have a... Family business. Consider it like a tradition to go to church and be devoted to loving... A God or whatever."
Charles
《I presume illegal activities.》He said as he took another sip of tea, caressing with the other hand the fur of his cat with a delicate touch.

《"Family business", two words that I hear a lot in the undergrounds. Besides that, you do not seem to be the type of person for it, at first sight.》
Eric
He sighed, raising his hands up as if he was caught by the authorities.
"Fine... Yeah. You got me. At least your comment helps me a lot."
Charles
《I do not interfere, that is why I am not bothered by it. Besides, I meet criminals a lot of times.》He kept caressing Her Majesty, placing a leg over the other to make himself comfortable.

《You mentioned that you want to achieve indipendency from your family. So, planning to escape, mh?》
Eric
"Right..."
He sighed, leaning back on the couch, slightly upset at himself due someone finding out about his life... What would the man do with that information?

"I'd like that."
Charles
《May I ask what's the reason behind it?》He kept drinking the tea after, waiting for an answer from Nicola.
In front of his eyes, he was just a stranger that shouldn't he one of his concern since was affiliated with criminal activities. On the other side, was just a boy like others he saw, dragged into the same situation.
Eric
His eyes became filled with sorrow, holding his hands together. He couldn't say this. He couldn't share anything.

"I- I don't... Think... I can say this..."
His shoulders shrunk, taking a deep and short breath out his mouth.
Charles
Noticing his reaction, he didn't push on the argument as it seemed to be something that made Nicola fall in discomfort.

《I see, but here there is no one that can hear or see us. If that can make you feel slightly better.》He placed the cup on the table as he finished the tea.
Eric
"And how do I know you won't take that for your advantage? All my information is crucial for my family..."

He was insecure.
He didn't know who to even trust.
Charles
《I am not asking for every single information, and I wouldn't do anything, but, if we can make it fair... You'll do the questions first to me.》The situation was serious, and besides his own nature of not caring and think to personal matters, he knew from experience what those young people were into when a family business was mentioned.

《Besides, a common person wouldn't bring back a package with illegal material to the right owner.》
Eric
"Fair enough... I'm choosing to believe you. Please don't betray my trust."
He took a sip of the water, sighing.

"I work for a mob. A mob full of families which are overloaded with crime, drugs, alcohol and more... It's tough. Tough to be such an image that your family, who basically treat you as coworkers, want."
Charles
《And now you want to get out of it. What is your plan after that? Any occupation that you are interested in?》He questioned when Nicola finished his sentence. He was right: a tough path, especially when the will of following it was no-existant.
Eric
"I... I always liked comedy, or even chemistry. Alchemy."
He began to think deeper about the topic... It was all he wanted. To leave that reality.
Charles
Chemistry? Not everyone wanted to follow that path, as it was for a few that were truly passionate into that complicated world. A matter of sacrificing time, patience and ready to risk it all.

《I work in the field of alchemy since a lot of years, yet I didn't discover truly everything, as the world keeps evolving.》
Eric
He had a small smile upon his face once he began to talk about his likings, then looked up to Alexander with admired eyes.

"You... Know alchemy?"
Charles
《Exactly, I started to study it in my younger days. My clinic has the laboratory there, since medicine and alchemy co-exist in a perfect way, but I have something in this manor too.》
Eric
"...I'd like to know a bit about it-"
Charles
《To know it you should start with studying the basic elements, the biology of every living creature and how the ground we walk on has a story that needs to be looked at. Alchemy is a world that can be explained by words, but to understand it? Practice, time, patience.》
Eric
"I see..."
He sighed with a smile, confident about himself. Maybe he could put his time to study on the meanwhile.

"I'm willing to learn!"
Charles
Raising an eyebrow, he looked coldly at Nicola, as he was piercing his gaze. 
The doctor stood up while placing his cat on the sofa he was sitting on, walking in front of the boy with crossed arms behind the back.

《How _much_ are you willing?》
Eric
"More than anything... I just have to find time to study— Maybe during the mornings, since my job is mostly night-shifts?"
Charles
《Mh... We'll see how punctual you are. Be late and you are out.》Strict words, but a possibility for Nicola to have the chance to be a student, Alexander's _first_ student, to be precise.
He never gave this occasion to no one, but challenging someone wasn't even a bad idea.
Maybe it's that, or because, deep inside, he didn't want to see another soul being wrecked.
Eric
"Wait— You're going to teach me? I- I thought I could do it by my own, but thank you so much!"
A larger smile built on his face, he was acting just like a child who got an amazing gift...
Charles
《_Tch._ I spent more than twenty years of my life doing this, for sure you don't want to start your life that late. Besides, getting lost in alchemy is more easy than you think. We will start tomorrow at eight in the morning. Do not bring anything if not something to write on.》
Eric
"Alright, got it!"
His expressions calmed down more, to something more warm and welcoming.

"Once again... Thank you."
Charles
《Don't thank me too fast. You'll have more time to do it when you will learn properly. For now, you can go if you want, enough time passed and the authorities probably gave up on searching.》
Eric
"I don't uhm... Really have somewhere to go. The only places nearby that I know are probably infested with the mob members and I don't want to deal with that right now."
Charles
《Mh... Only for today, you may rest here. Rooms are upstairs, pick one based on your preference.》He gestured with one hand, pointing the stairs that were near the entrance.

《Don't take the habit, I do this because would be a shame to lose a first student.》
Eric
"Seriously-?! Oh my— Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
He stood up with a joyous smile, almost hugging the taller man. He did stop before he did anything.

"Ah uhm- Sorry, don't know if you like that..."
Even if Nico was scared of receiving hugs, he didn't mind giving them.
Charles
Noticing the intentions of Nicola, he only stepped back a bit. He wasn't very fond of hugs, human affection in general.

《Apology accepted, but you should take a shower. I can still smell blood on you.》He added.

《Upstairs, right corridor, third door.》
Eric
"Oh yeah haha... Will do!"

He then proceeded to rush upstairs... Only to stop right at the top.

"Hey Mr. Deroy-? Uhm... What about my clothes-?"
He spoke a bit louder since he was far away.
Charles
He turned his head towards the voice of the young man, reflecting for a second.

《You can wash them, and, in the meanwhile, you can use some of mine that don't fit me anymore. They are all in a wooden chest thar you can find still in the right corridor, but in the fifth room. I use that as a little storage.》
Eric
He began to pace to the bathroom, grabbing the spare clothes mid the way.
"Thank you again!"
Charles
He didn't answer, but the sudden joy of Nicola was enough to make him feel satisfied of his own actions. 
Who could've thought, the cold surgeon having a student. Maybe there was a first time even for Alexander, like his father when he found him for pure casuality.
Seemed like the cycle was starting again...

_END_