Welcome to Gaia! ::

Peyton had waited a few minutes before heading out towards the cafeteria and the kitchen just beyond it. Surely Dylon had gotten to the poor boy now, and he'd had a chance to stretch his legs, hit a bathroom, maybe shower. He could take his time, she didn't mind, specially after what he'd just been through.

The fact that he'd been trapped for the entire day was infuriating. Why hadn't anyone else bothered to try to find him? Yeah, he could have busted out, but Mikael was still shiny, he was so new. He didn't know what could or couldn't be done, or what might land him in trouble. He was cautious, and that was a trait that would actually serve him well on Deus. It meant he'd never back talk to Taym and get himself shot. He'd never be goaded into a stupid fight he had no hope of winning. Caution would keep him alive.

On the flip side, too much caution could be a bad thing. She needed to find out what had happened. That was her first priority. After that? Well, one step at a time.

For now, she was stirring a small pot of au jus on the stove why a few hoggy buns toasted on a skillet pan on the next burner. She'd found roast beef and provolone cheese in the cooler, so she was making french dips.

The sound of her name turned her around as the smile blonde came up to stand beside her, and she offered him a bright grin, one that grew with the compliment. "That is a very astute observation," she teased, checking the status of the toasting buns. "I hope you like roast beef, cause I'm making french dips." A glance turned down to him, curious if he'd ever had one before.

"If Dylon hadn't come to get you, I would have. You can text me, you know. If you need help."

When the bread was toasted a nice golden color she transferred them to a plate and laid a couple pieces of cheese on the top half of both, letting the heat make the provolone nice and gooey. The thin sliced beef was lowered into the simmering au jus for heat and flavor, and then folded over the bottom half of the buns. When the sandwiches were all finished up she separated them to their own places and ladled a scoop of the steaming broth into a small bowl for each of them. "Ready?"

"You're in for a treat." The assurance was paired with a wink as she picked both plates up and nodded towards the door to the cafeteria so they could sit down. "Roast beef, cheese, and this amazingly delicious veggie based broth. Mmm~" Grinning, she set both plates down before claiming a seat.

She picked her sandwich up, ready to dip it, before pausing to frown at him. "It's no trouble, really." In answer to his question she dipped her own sandwich, letting it soak up the au jus. "Besides, the people I care about aren't going to think less of me for helping someone, and the ones that do, I couldn't care less about." A shrug followed, then she was taking a bite.

"I know you don't like the idea of violence or hurting anyone, but I think it would be a good idea to learn enough to be able to defend yourself." A piece of beef dangling from the edge of her bun was tugged free and eaten. "I could help you learn."

She hadn't figured he'd be all that receptive to the idea, but delicate features set into stubborn lines. "I know, but I care what happens to you, and I'd really rather you didn't get hurt." Taym was always telling her she got attached too easily, too quickly, but he was only half right. The bonds she formed came quickly, but there were only so many people she chose to care about. Mik was on that list.

It was hard to argue with his logic, though. "Well, you're in Life, so at the very least you can avoid the front lines more often than not, but sometimes things will happen, and the violence is unavoidable. For the most part it won't be your fellow hunters that pose the greatest threat." There were exceptions, of course, and she knew he knew that. "It'll be the things that we're supposed to be protecting the world against. They won't just be aiming to incapacitate, they want to eliminate us." It was a hard conversation to be having, specially for someone that was such an pacifist, and she suspected she was going to have to have a similar talk with Astrid at some point.

"I care about you. I don't want anything to happen to you." She smiled, trying to soften all the hardness she'd just laid on him "I'll keep you safe whenever I can. I'd make it so you never had to raise your weapon if I could, but I can't, and I can't always be there." Lips pursed, she dipped her sandwich, letting it soak up au jus again. "I worry about you."

"You're right, it should, and in an ideal world that's how it would work. But that's not the world we live in." Half eaten, her sandwich was set back on her plate so she could fold her hands on the table, leaning forward. "You're unassuming enough that you probably won't have to worry too much about the other folks on this island. Well, except...you know." One small hand rose, waggling back and forth before settling again. She didn't need to remind him that Lawrence was a dangerous individual, and should be avoided at all costs. He came to the island preprogrammed with that mentality.

It must have been nice, the life he'd had before. He seemed so shiny and new, edges still untouched by wear and tear. She'd had that once upon a time, but it had ended abruptly at the age of ten.

"I've heard that there are some among them that aren't hostile, but there is no guarantee that that is who you'll run into. I'm not saying you have to shoot first and ask questions later, I'm just saying you should be able to protect yourself from harm when you don't have any other choice." He would never been a shooter, or a soldier, or shield, but maybe with a little training up he could avoid being a liability.

"Would you consider at least doing the training courses to help sharpen your reactions and increase your speed and stamina?"

"If your dad tries to give you any more trouble you come find me." It was said quickly, an automatic and hasty offer that probably wasn't the wisest, but like hell she'd let Lawr lay a hand on him if she was present.

"If you're dead set on this," she relented unhappily. "Fine, but the things that are gunna be chasing you are faster than any normal human." This was by no means the last time she would push actual combative training on him, but if she could get hims to compromise then she would let weapons training go for now. There were other things he could be doing to make sure he stayed safe. "You should start doing endurance training. Jogging, some defense based martial arts. I go running four times a week, and that lets me lap people with legs twice as long as my own."

Her sandwich was picked up again, and she dunked a corner into the au jus. "There are none combative training courses that are all about survival. How about we start with those?" Life, for starters - everyone needed bandages - Then Death. She needed that one as well, so it came with the added bonus of killing two birds with one stone.

She was starting to think it was a hopeless cause, trying to get Mikael to do the things that needed doing just to stay alive. A defeated frown over took delicate features, and she'd pulled in a breath for a resigned sigh, but finally he agreed to something and she perked right back up. "Really?" And before he could change his mind. "Excellent!"

It wasn't a huge victory, but she would take it. One step at a time. Mikael would learn, she sincerely hopped, or..

No, she didn't want to think about the alternative. Mikael would learn. He'd see what he was up against, and maybe that'd make him just a little more receptive to the idea of training.

But that was a conversation for another day. For now she'd leave him alone, let him finish his sandwich. "I've been looking around, trying to find a room for you on the first floor." One had opened up that she probably could have easily secured, but it was right next to Lawrance's room, and that just seemed like an awful idea. "How are you fairing down in the basement?"