For a minute there he thought that she wasn’t going to take the offered money.  He understood pride, he also had it, and just as he was about to pull his hand back she took each coin.  Again he smiled, watching her as she started her ascent up to the roof, but his eyes widened when a scroll dropped from her person.  Not wanting it to get damaged he picked it up from the ground, though it had started to unroll and he couldn’t help his curiosity.  It was a map, but he didn’t recognize its location.  That wasn’t to say he knew every place in Revaliir of course, but that only spiked his curiosity more.
 
But it was complicated, this wasn’t just a map to an island: it was for someone.  His eyes rose up to the girl, had she stolen it…?  Maybe he had underestimated her abilities.  It was obvious she wanted it back and he kept it held just out of her reach, for once glad that he was as tall as he was.  Though his expression was anything but playful as he spoke to her, his eyebrows furrowed in thought, “This, did you steal this?  Do you even realize what this is?” Who could it possibly belong to?  And where had she taken it from?  Normally he didn’t instantly jump to the conclusion that someone had obtained something from less than honest means, but after all: the two had met because she’d stolen from his client.
 
(( OOC: If she gets super upset that she can’t reach it or get it back, just have her scream at him and he’ll reluctantly lower it so that she can take it back.  And you’ll have permission to say she takes it back from him :3 ))

Ernest met his eyes evenly, although inside she shook with fear. Would he take it from her? He wouldn't - at least she didn't think so. He didn't know how important it was…

"It's mine," she said, perhaps a little more forcefully than she had intended, but she was scared now, scared that he would take it, and she would never get it back. "I didn't steal it. Please, just give it back!" She was begging now, but she didn't care. Some things were worth giving up her dignity. Her only fear now was that he would not believe her - after all, she'd lied easily not five minutes ago. She doubted he would trust her now.

He studied her silently for a moment.  The anger was apparent, but he was unable to ignore the lace of desperation in her eyes.  She really wanted this back…That level of need was hardly ever for something that wasn’t in some way yours.  Maybe he was showing his age and being too gullible, but he offered the map back to her: letting her take it. “You do know what it is don’t you…?”   His eyes searched hers, pausing for only a moment before continuing, his tone gentle but still reluctant,

“If it’s that important do you need help finding that place?  You probably shouldn’t be carrying that on you so casually, the wrong person could snatch it up and run.”  Which would have been extremely ironic giving how she had done the same thing only a few minutes ago.  

Speaking of which, he looked over his shoulder in the direction of his client, knowing that he couldn’t linger here for too much longer or he’d have his own problems to deal with.  He looked back at her, “Well if you decide you need help you can ask me.  I won’t be in the city for very long though, I’m actually from the other continent, Parvpora, in Nisshoki.  Either way, spend your coin wisely.”

He offered a small smile, giving her just a moment to see if she would take him up on his offer, and if not…well, he did have work that he needed to get back to.  If he botched this up he knew Hiromi would never let him hear the end of it.  And that was ten times scarier than a swarm of attackers on his lady.

Ernest was surprised he'd given it back. She wasn't used to people listening to her. It was all so confusing. In her world, you had to earn every little thing you had. People never just pointlessly gave you things. 

She jerked her mind back to the conversation in time to hear him say, "Well, if you decide you need help, you can ask me. I won't be in the city for very long, though. I'm actually from the other continent, Pavpora, in Nisshoki." He continued after that, but Ernest was too busy trying to decipher the last sentence to hear him. Where was Pavpora? Nisshoki? What other continent? There was more than one? 

She pushed aside her questions and focused on the other part of what he'd said. If she needed help… She had never needed help. And yet, so much of this seemed beyond her comprehension. It might be good to have a traveling companion. She sighed. If all else failed, she could always run. She was good at that. 

"If you're sure you have nothing better to do than follow some strange girl around, then by all means, come with me. It might break up the monotony a bit. But if you have other things to do, go on and do them. You needn't keep an eye on me out of pity or something." She smiled. Today was shaping up to be quite interesting.

A corner of his lips quirked up in a half smile, lightly amused, “It just so happens that following strange people around his my job.”  With a final glance in the direction of his charge he made up his mind.  He looked back at her, “I’ll be finished with this assignment tonight.  We can meet at this spot if you’d like.  I’m only expected to go back to Nisshoki when my job is completed…I’ll just push it back some.”  It wasn’t as if he had any jobs waiting for him back at home.  If anything it would just be more babysitting like this client had been.

“But for now,” he walked backwards away from her, letting his thumbs lightly tuck into the pockets of his pants, “Duty calls.  If you decide you’d rather go at it alone after all then just don’t show up tonight.”  He smiled, “I’d understand.”  They were strangers to one another after all, he wouldn’t have been surprised or offended if it turned out she’d changed her mind between now and then.  With that he turned just as he got to the mouth of the street and found his way back to the calmer, though still startled woman and guard he had left her with, glad that they hadn’t moved from there.  Having her purse back seemed to help even more.

The sun was setting when Ernest returned to their meeting place. She wondered if he'd be here. She wouldn't have been surprised if he'd backed out. After all, to him, she was some strange girl he'd met on a street corner. She was honestly surprised he'd even offered to travel with her.

She had spent most of the afternoon deliberating on whether to show up. She didn't fully trust him. Then again, she didn't fully trust anyone. One of the first rules of the streets was to only trust yourself. Yet, he didn't seem to know her rules. People who had always had ways to take care of themselves lived in a different world from her. They lived by rules she didn't understand.

And yet, going against all of her knowledge, she had trusted him. She had blindly believed that he would be here - and would actually help her. This could all be a trap - but somehow, she didn't think so. Despite all the rules of the streets, she trusted him.

Ernest scanned the crowds again. If he wasn't here soon, she didn't think he was coming. He didn't seem to be the type to be late.

After much explaining and only a little white lie, he’d managed to leave the estate where the lady lived.  They’d wanted her assailant brought to justice, and while he’d basically just let the thief go without much reprimand, they didn’t need to know that.  After all, she had her purse back and she was safe, what more could they really ask for?  The girl that had stolen it hadn’t been bad exactly, just in need…it wasn’t like she would have tried to harm the woman, right?  Of course not, but then again he didn’t really know her, and he’d offered to travel with her and help her with that map.
 
All the while he could hear Hiromi screaming at him from afar, just imagining the types of things she would say to him if she knew what he was about to do.  She’d call him young, naïve, headstrong, and say he’d completely lost focus of his duties.  But what duties did he have?  To live in a tayuu house running errands and babysitting nobles?  No, that wasn’t what he wanted to do, it’s what she’d had him do because she was too fearful of anything happening to him.  He’d be safe at the end of all of this, it’d just be a while before he could return home…
 
That is, if the girl even showed up.  As he drew closer to the alley his stomach began to flutter: what if she wasn’t coming?  What if she’d run off on her own?  Besides all of that, what business of it was his?  She wasn’t his responsibility even if he was acting like she was.  Maybe it would have been best if she wasn’t there after all.  But as he turned into the alley he saw her, not far from where he’d stopped her earlier that day.  His lips parted to call out to her but then he realized he didn’t even know her name.  That doesn’t seem like a great start… 
 
No matter, he walked up to her as if the two had known each other their entire lives and smiled, “You came.  To be honest I wasn’t sure if you would.”  His hand lifted up and gently scratched at the back of his head through his hair, “It would probably be best if we knew each other’s names.  Or at least what to call one another, you don’t have to give me your real name if you don’t want to.”  He could understand that, especially given how closed off she had already proven herself to be.

Ernest saw him coming. She grinned. He had come, after all. She had just been starting to think he wouldn't.

"You came," he said. Ernest withheld a small chuckle. It seemed that while she had been expecting him to not show, he had expected the same of her. She realized he was still talking - he seemed to consistently keep talking after she expected him to. “It would probably be best if we knew each other’s names.  Or at least what to call one another. You don’t have to give me your real name if you don’t want to.” Ernest was sure she had missed something of his statement, but hoped it didn't matter. 

She shrugged. Giving a name was of little consequence to her. It wasn't like anyone could track her. "My name's Ernest," she said. "What's yours?" She almost expected him to spout off about seventeen names - she seemed to be the only person who used just one - but she hoped she could call him something simple. Her memory tended to be distracted by other things than long strings of names.

Ernest?  His eyebrows rose, he wasn’t able to tell if she was giving a false name or not, but he decided not to question it just in case it was her real name.  After all, he didn’t want to seem rude.  He smiled and offered his own name back, “My name’s Lee.”  He dipped his head once in introduction and then began to walk, hoping they could get to the docks by sun down, “So, when were you planning on finding that place on the map?”  What’s more, how were they even going to get to it?  His ride home was on an airship full of people, and they couldn’t very well use that to get there.

“Did you already have a way to travel?”  She was a thief, but she could have had other ways.  If worse came to worst it was possible they could stow away to get themselves closer.  He had enough money from the job he’d just finished, but he’d have rather saved that for provisions if the necessity arose.

Ernest glanced at him. "I walk," she said. "How else would we travel?" She knew there were carriages and things, but they were much more than she was willing to pay. "As for when I was planning to get to m- to the island," she paused, "whenever I find it." She knew she would have to sail to it eventually, but she was sure she could figure that out when she got there. If all else failed, she could build a raft. 

"Did you have any other ideas?" she asked. "I know there are other ways to travel, but they cost too much - frankly, money isn't something I can waste." It felt strange, sharing how she was thinking, but she supposed that was part of having a travelling partner. "If you have to leave eventually - if you have other plans - that's fine," she added. "I can survive on my own."