Natalie was quick to accept the phone when Luuk handed it to her. She’d help herself to a seat on the far end of his bed and begin flicking through the options that remained, determined to make a decision before Luuk had finished packing. The woman had no real skill with technology, but things seemed a little bit more manageable now that Luuk had narrowed down their options so much, and Natalie continued to work diligently, progressing through them at her own pace. The mage would pause only occasionally, glancing across at Luuk as he packed, like a worried mother making sure her child wasn’t forgetting anything important, just in case.
Once Luuk was done, she was quick to hand back his phone, and nodded in simple agreement when he finished booking the hotel they had settled on. Given that she had been forced to leave her wallet behind, she would have needed him to pay for everything regardless, at least until she could find a way to safely get access to her accounts again. His initiative saved her the embarrassment of having to ask, though – a small blessing she was inwardly grateful for. She’d be sure to offer him at least half the cost in repayment later, once she was back on her feet.
When Luuk announced that he was going to take out the trash, Natalie tried to suppress her anxiety at the thought of letting him go out there alone. What if their survival had already been discovered, and he was cornered without her around? But…no. They’d never get anywhere if she couldn’t trust Luuk to look after himself, especially on the most frivolous of errands. Instead, Natalie busied herself by checking the contents of her precious little wooden chest. Careful of the damaged hinge, she lifted the lid and looked over the contents, searching them for any obvious damage. Once she was satisfied that the interior was more or less intact, she closed it again. As soon as Luuk returned, she tucked the box under one arm, and fell into step behind him when he scooped up his bags and made to leave.
Another short walk back to the train station, entirely different and similar to the one before, somehow. Natalie stayed silent as they slipped through the turnstiles and made their way down to the appropriate platform, with a few minutes to spare. She stood there patiently, trapped in her own head, until Luuk posed his question.
Natalie hadn’t been doing much, but even so, it was enough to make her pause. His wording was vague, and yet she knew exactly what he really meant. Who was she, to think so quickly when confronted with an armed gunman? To seem so calm and methodical when thinking about what they had to do next? To clean and bandage a wound without flinching? Even when one discounted her magic, there were still unanswered questions, and Luuk was much too intelligent to go for long without piecing things together. Truth be told, Natalie wasn’t totally sure herself. Beyond that, she didn’t want to lie to him again, but didn’t feel particularly ready to speak on the truth. Given this morning’s events, a lot of old wounds were suddenly feeling fresh again, and she was already having a difficult enough time forgiving herself. To invite his judgement now seemed akin to inviting self-destruction.
Natalie was silent for a long time as she considered how best to answer his question. When she finally started to form the words, she’d glance up and down the platform, as if trying to make sure they were alone – or at least beyond earshot.
“I’m just…Let’s just say that I have experience with this sort of thing, okay?.” Natalie’s voice was soft, barely more than a whisper, and she subconsciously hugged her box closer to her. “This isn’t the first time I’ve messed up and had to start over.”
It felt like a lame explanation, even to her own ears. She was still trying to come up with more to add when the train finally arrived, pulling up alongside the platform. Natalie stayed back as the doors slid open and a small handful of people stepped off, before moving to take their place. This train proved to be less crowded than the previous one, if only slightly, and she was able to claim a seat a little further down the carriage, with one open next to her for Luuk, if he felt so inclined. Her weight shifted slightly as the train lurched into motion again, carrying them towards their destination, but she was quick to settled back into her seat.
“Remember what I told you about your parents? Well, I went through something similar back then. I survived, even if they…” Natalie’s voice trailed off, and she immediately regretted her choice of words. Regretted that she had reminded Luuk of what had happened to his birth parents, especially at a time like this. It was difficult, trying to speak in such vague terms whilst there were other people around. But she knew Luuk was intelligent enough to grasp her meaning, and hopefully that would be enough. For the time being, at the very least.
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