"Itsuki..." The name slipped out before she could catch herself. One of these days she was going to start expecting him to be there whenever she turned around. The older woman took in his posture, the expression on his face. He'd been waiting for her. She sighed. That polite demeanor was going to get him killed one day. The care he displayed for her already had. She glanced out of the hall window to where the sky was beginning to pale and brighten, swallowing a fresh wave of nausea.

"Come on," she said quietly, and offered him a hand up. Not back inside. Sarah was either sleeping or on her way home, and neither option was conducive to settling high tension. A patr-- a walk would be better.