[[Np. <3 And. Derek is smexeh. x3]]

I was a little surprised. I couldn't see how that name could be insulting or unpronouncable at all, but that was just me. Trying to think of something else to say as we rounded the back of the house, I came up short. It wasn't like I could ask Derek about his history; that might bring up bad memories, as would inquiring about his family or where he was from.
So, I stayed silent as the bench came into view, a narrow path all that seperated us and the house from undergrowth that reached my waist and overgrown bushes. ''It's a lovely day today, isn't it?'' I asked, smiling still.

[[Heheheh. I apologise, I was in a state of unrest and uncertainty. I realise now I was wrong and you are so right. xDDD]]

I glanced up from my daydreaming memories as I realised Derek had said thank you, and was asking me what I wanted him to do. I had no clue at all what I wanted him to do; I didn't have anything that needed doing, and even if I did, I'd do it myself. I'd told my parents I didn't want a slave, and that was the reason why.

''No problem... And I don't know. What would you like to do?'' I asked, smiling. I doubted if he got asked this question often, and thought it would be interesting to see his response. I always wondered what the slaves out in the field dreamt they were spending their time doing; maybe now I would find out.

[[Ugh, I hate 'realise' and 'realize' almost as much as 'bear' and 'bare'. Those are the only words I mix up on a regular basis. >.<]]

''I like lots of things,'' I replied, smiling still. He couldn't honestly be telling the truth, surely? There must have been something he wanted to do. No one was born without ambitions or passions, and no one lost every bit of ambition they had as they grew up, no matter what the circumstances.

''There must be something you like to do,'' I pressed, sighing. ''I won't laugh, I promise. You won't get in trouble or anything, no matter what it is.'' I smiled warmly once more, looking down at my hands. Maybe he just needed a little encouragement.

''I like music. I love playing a harpsichord.'' I said, thinking that might make him a little less nervous. ''Now I've told you what I like to do, will you tell me what you like to do? There has to be something. There just has to be.''

I smiled again, tilting my head as I looked at him. He couldn't be that shy, surely?

[[That is totes an epic idea. :u]]

''Really?'' I asked, grinning. I hadn't been expecting to get any response at all, let alone such a good one. My father often traded supplies that varied from the normal stock, and I remembered him having some supposedly 'faulty' art supplies. I'd checked them myself though, when I was bored, and they'd seemed fine to me.

''Would you like to paint?'' My eyes were eager, my ex
pression enthusiastic. Worried I might be coming on a bit too strong, I added hastily, ''Maybe not now, if you don't want to, but I could always just give you the things you'd need.''

''Of course I am! Come on!'' I leaped to my feet, overjoyed that Derek had said he actually wanted to paint. ''There's an old shed out here, it's where they used to store all the 'faulty' goods. They have a new place for that now, but there's still plenty of old stuff out there. Last time I went, there were some paints and stuff, but I don't know why they were in the faulty shed.''

I realised I was probably babbling, and hushed myself, turning around and walking in the opposite direction to the way we had come, heading around a particularly large patch of bushes and vegetation.

[[Lawls, np. xD]]

When we reached the shed, I was grinning, and I couldn't wait to see how good Derek was at painting. The shed itself wasn't huge, but it wasn't miniscule, either. It was about ten foot long and six foot wide, an old, ramshackle building. There had once been glass in the windows, but it had long ago been smashed out, and now the windows were bare save for a few bare glass shards still stuck in the wood.

I pushed my hand up against the old door, and glared at it when it wouldn't open. Apparently, it was jammed. I smirked, glad I'd worn my riding boots instead of those dumb 'lady-like slippers', and prepared to kick it open. Hitching up my dress a little, I kicked the door as hard as I could, and grinned triumphantly as it opened.

Settling my dress back down to a 'lady-like' state, I put a hand on Derek's arm and started pulling him inside. I could see old crates piled up on top of each other covering the majority of the room, but there was a bare space down the end of it, about three feet wide, that just had some old, brittle pieces of wood, and some dusty pieces of cloth covering the floor.

I grinned, glancing around to see if I could remember which crate the painting things had been in. I saw a minute spatter of cobalt blue paint on the side of one crate, and walked over to it, working my fingers under the lid before shoving it off.

The crate itself reached to about my waist, and I leaned over it as I looked inside. I pulled off a cloth cover that was over everything, and grinned again as I threw it to the side. Reaching down, I pulled out several leather bags of crushed stones, a bottle of some water mixed with a thing I could never remember the name of, and some pre-mixed paint in an air-tight wooden tub.

Placing them on the ground beside the crate, I leaned back over it again and started rooting around for the other things he'd need. I eventually managed to find a few paint brushes of varying thickness, and a few boards of canvas, which I propped up against the crate.

''Here, you come see if there's anything else you'll need out of here.'' I said, motioning for Derek to come over.

''Whatever you want!'' I replied, grinning. I glanced around, wondering if there was anything else that he could use that might help him. Down in the very, very far corner of the room it was dark, but something caught my eye.

I went down to it, and was thrilled to find five easels stacked against the wall. Of course, he would only need one of them, so I pulled it out and opening it up, grinning. The way the wood criss-crossed across itself started confusing me when I tried to figure out how it folded up like that, so I just put it back in the space that was a little less covered by junk.

There was still junk there, though, so I hitched my skirt up ever-so-slightly again and kicked some of it out of the way.