Running a towel through her hair, Liesel tuned out of the easily heard conversations from the street below, as well as the rustling of paper which was also accompanied by quiet mutterings. Peeking around the door she frowned down the small corridor which parted the bathroom from the rest of the hotel room. Dumping the towel on her head she padded her way out of the room. Her bare feet hardly made any sounds as she turned slowly into the main part of the room. "I am taking it that something is not up to your standards." Liesel stated rather obviously. She peeked out from underneath the towel before pulling it down and resting it on her shoulders.

Erik sat surrounded by the contents of the envelope. All the different articles of writings and documents were surrounding him on the bed. Lowering one piece of paper, Erik looked up to her. Liesel rocked on her heels and pushed a stray damp lock of hair out of her face. Having arrived back at the hotel she had decided to haul up in his room to see the actual content which had been handed to her. Only to end up invading Erik's room, it also meant having to borrow his shower, "Is that a yes or a no? I find it incredibly hard to tell when you just...stare." She went on to say while walking over and sitting down on the edge of the bed. Reaching out she picked up an old newspaper clipping. Turning it over in her hands she simply sighed over it. "You know when you first suggested...this, I didn't know how, for one, and also what would actually be stumbled across." Turning a picture over she peered over the top of it and looked to him. "May I inquire as to what will actually happen once we find ourselves some hidden Nazi gold?"

"We," Erik reached across and took a hold of an old photograph of a stash of precious items which had been discovered in a safe bunker. The article which went with the photograph was actually rather indepth with what happened to it, and where it was likely to be. "Then go find ourselves an informant."

"Not another Maurice." Liesel frowned, although her eyes looked at him hopefully. She didn't want narrow encounters with death.

"No," Erik laughed lowly, not wholly humorous, but a laugh nonetheless and shook his head. Trust her to now judge each and every informant in the world like the one they had crossed paths with. "Not another Maurice." He reassured, Liesel pulled the towel from her shoulders and folded it up in her lap. She let out a relieved sigh and nodded at him. "Someone in a more substantial position."

Her eyes narrowed at his choice of words. "Oh?" She asked while taking to picking imaginary dust off of her shirt sleeves.

Erik smirked and took to piling all the pieces of paper up into a small pile, small enough to fit back into the envelope. "That I am not telling you."

"That's not fair. You know what I'm like with surprises, or secrets for that matter." Liesel pouted and leaned forwards against the bed. She placed her chin in her hands and looked up at him with narrowed eyes. She was a rather curious person, that she could easily admit to. Being kept in the dark just caused her curiosity to pique.

"I'm sorry, Liesel, I'm not indulging you with this." He replied while leaning down to her level. Her eyes narrowed even more at him. "Don't glare, it doesn't suit you." A smile appeared on her face instead, a rather innocently sweet one. Erik rolled his eyes, "Even if you give me that look, I am not telling you. Now do you mind, I would like some time alone to think."

"Brood you mean." Liesel's earlier pout returned she let out a low whine when she got simply tapped on the nose.

"I don't brood," he corrected while sitting up straight and away from her. Tapping the envelope against his hand in quiet contemplation, he glanced her way when she sighed and moved off of the bed. Seeing as how she wasn't getting anything more from him, Liesel slouched off of the bed and padded her way back to the bathroom. Throwing the towel into the laundry bin in the corner she turned and shuffled her way to the door.

"Dinner?"

"Hm?" Erik looked her way, he hadn't moved from his seat. Though he was rather aware to where she was within the room. Looking slowly to the door, he looked at her as she was leaning against the door with an expectant expression.

"I'm asking you to come to dinner with me, Erik. Don't look so worried, I would presume you don't want me wandering about on my own. Even if it is only to the restaurant downstairs."

He narrowed his eyes in thought before relenting in a nod. "Fine, but I don't ever remember people eating dinner at three in the afternoon." He stated with a growing smile.

Liesel looked thoughtful before grinning. "That's more a late lunch, no?" Quietly laughing she waved a hand at him. "I get it, I get it. My attempts at getting you out of this room for some air before later is failing. See you at six then." She turned and opened the door.

"Is that the time you're returning?" He smirked while standing up and putting the envelope on the table near the window. He crossed his arms loosely in front of him while waiting for her to answer.

Liesel scoffed while turning in the door with a grin in her face. "My dear, Erik. Whoever has heard of the lady calling on the gentleman for dinner?" She laughed and retreated, he thought she had gone before the door opened a fraction and her head peered around back into the room. "Though I've heard of stranger things, sure. Oh, and Erik? Don't be late. Have fun brooding!" Liesel beamed and finally left the room laughing to herself while he just shook his head. Hearing the soft click of the door, he finally let out the heavy sigh he had been holding in.

Glancing at the envelope Erik walked around the table to stand near one of the large windows which let in floods of warm sunlight. Leaning against the wall he glanced down at the streets below. For the most part he was seeing if that man was lurking about down there. There were numerous amounts of small alleys he could hide in. But even with his keen eyesight he couldn't spot the figure of Maurice Durand, thank the Lord. When coming to France, Erik hadn't actually had it in mind to hurt anyone, let alone kill someone...unless, of course, he really needed to. Be fair, he wouldn't be surprised if he'd need to. Plans often had a way of going haywire and some sort of harm always came about. Or at least, he found plans he made often fell that way.

He shook his head, begrudgingly Liesel found herself in harm's way quite a few times. Even before this moment with Maurice. As awful as it was, harm's way seemed to always find her. With or without a plan coming from him. He glanced up at the sky, lazy white clouds drifted along the blue expanse of sky. At any other time he could've just found it quite peaceful, if it wasn't for the domestic happening in the room next door and the fact that he was in the city for a purpose. Shaking his head slowly, he tried to steer his mind away from reminiscing and other pointless subjects. Looking at the clock he sighed, three hours until having to go and collect Liesel. That is if she didn't reappear before so. She had grown the trait of appearing by him at odd times. She had done since she was a child, and oddly even more so when she was a teenager, but not so much now that she was a young adult.

And a small part of him was concerned with that. Not that he was jealous of her finding her feet, or even giving attention to others around them; though most were not really worthy of the attention, he had to admit. But he had grown used to keeping an eye on her, he had gathered that she had given up promising to watch out for him. But then again he didn't exactly need anyone looking out for him, he was fine as he was. With a groan he ran a hand through his hair. So much for not reminiscing! Frowning and narrowing his eyes to the wall when something crashed in the next door room, he tilted his head to the side. It was clear his plans of thinking would not work with the domestic still happening. And perhaps leaving would stop his mind from drifting. Only...leaving would entail having to go get Liesel. It wasn't that he didn't trust her to be in her room on her own for a small amount of time, it was just...it'd be easier if she was with him.

Needless to say when it came to knocking on her door he was subjected to a surprised look. "You're two hours early. What's wrong?" Liesel asked while stepping to one side and letting him in the room. She had rather promptly plaited her damp hair in an attempt to get it to curl slightly. As well as changing out of the simple skirt and shirt suit she had worn to meet Maurice. Standing in a mid-thigh deep yellow dress with a black collar, she looked extremely different than the formal appearance she had earlier on.

"I find it is increasingly hard to think when there is a shouting match happening next door."

"Ah," Liesel's eyes widened as she shut the door and nodded thoughtfully. "Yes...I did hear them when I was leaving earlier. Truthfully I am surprised you put up with it for so long. If it was me I'd go around and tell them to shut up...but whatever, so you thought you'd come here to brood?"

Erik looked at her blankly as she side stepped around him and walked over to the chair and table near the window. Truthfully the positions of furniture didn't differ much from room to room. She smiled and took to pulling up the long black socks she had on. They stopped a little below her dress. Folding one leg over the other, she placed her hands on her knees and looked at him expectedly. With an over exaggerated sigh she rolled her eyes. "For pity's sake Erik, do sit down you're making me nervous." She didn't quite like being stood and looked at, or rather people standing over her. Her eyes watched him as he finally moved to sit in the chair opposite to herself. Smiling she moved forwards, clasping her hands together she leaned against the table. "You look troubled, care to share?"

"I was just thinking." Liesel gave him a look, she mouthed the word: 'Brooding' with a smirk, he merely shot her a look. Digressing she gestured a hand to him to continue. "Perhaps dwelling is more appropriate."

"On?" Liesel asked while resting her chin on her hands, which she had laid flat in the glass table.

"The past."

"Hm," she sounded rather disapproving of that matter. "Which part?"

"You know oddly enough the part where you were like a shadow." He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms.

Liesel shot him a look. "And?"

"Nothing, really. Just I've noticed you've grown out of the habit. Surely you're not getting bored of me and my company?" He smirked as she looked slightly irritated and flustered over the moment before puffing out her cheeks and exhaling heavily. She sat leaning in silence with her eyes shut thinking for an answer, and he just let her while pushing the net curtain out of the way to glance outside.

"Do you not like having personal space? Trust me when I say I can return to being a clingy irritant if you so wish." Liesel opened her eyes and looked up at him. "What's got you pondering over stuff like this? You've never been the one to, that's usually me."

"I'd rather you didn't. Though if you did I'm sure it'd make Agna laugh."

"That's Miss Reinhardt thank you," Liesel impersonated an uptight accent while pointing a finger at him. Agna Reinhardt was the woman who kindly took them both in and looked after them after they were allowed out of that allied hospital. She was an interesting lady. She was stern, and strict, and seemed to get great pleasure out of teasing Liesel with pursuing Erik at such a young age. It wasn't that, Erik was safe to her.

"But it got me thinking, if you say brooding you will regret it." His eyes narrowed dangerously as Liesel seemed to open her mouth to say something.

Liesel held up her hands and smiled. "I say nothing, you have my word."

"Would you perhaps reconsider becoming a shadow for tomorrow?"

"Oh...this is part of your plan, the one you wasn't going to indulge me in, hm?"

Erik smiled. "No, I said I wouldn't tell you where we were going. I said nothing about not telling you about what needs to be done."

Liesel shifted in her seat and leaned against the table again, looking at him curiously. "Yes, and what is that?"

"You always had the art of distraction pinned down." Erik said while leaning his arms against the table and then taking to resting his chin on his hand. He looked down at her as she pondered over his words before her mouth turned downwards and she let out what seemed to be a: 'Meh,' sound. "Don't sell yourself short, Liesel." He said while mimicking how she sat and looked at her. "How would you like to distract a bunch of security guards?" Her eyes seemed to light up then, which was a sure sign that he had got her attention.

"Do go on." She tilted her head and rested it against her arms as she looked to him. She smiled and traced circles on the glass absentmindedly. "This I would like to hear...over some room service, perhaps?" She smiled and shot up from her chair with lightning speed.

"What is with you and food?" He had to ask, she seemed a little obsessed with food at the moment.

"It's the pastries, darling. I'm hooked." Liesel said while gently clasping her hands on his shoulders and smiling over his shoulder at him. "Would you like some too?" She asked innocently.

"How kind of you to offer to share... even more so considering this is my money paying for everything." Erik said while she still looked at him with that same innocent look. Smiling sweetly she drummed her fingers on his shoulders before retreating slowly.

"Did I ever mention how generous and nice you are?" Liesel entwined her hands together and smiled at him as he turned in his chair and looked at her with a raised eyebrow and a small smile tugging at the sides of his lips.

----

Edited: 7/June/2019

Reedited: 13/August/2021