While Declan was silent in his thought for those moments, Aoba was similarly mute as he stared across the city and wondered where to start. Not being trapped by the Deckers meant he could look freely for another portal…but just like the last one, he didn’t know where a portal would dump him until he went through it. Should he take his time? Try to get his bearings, maybe hope he could get a few more supplies than the sodas and snacks he’d managed to cram in his satchel along with Ren? Or did he just hop portals as quickly as he could find them and hope that sooner than later one would dump him back home—

You couldn’t really forget that there was a giant like Declan standing right beside you, but Aoba almost did, anyway. The pale man spoke again and Aoba stared up at him in shock at the offer, his mouth falling open with a wordless sound.

“I—” He looked the way Declan pointed, fumbling to decide, but fear of the big man wasn’t even on the list of things to make Aoba hesitate. Declan had surprised him, sure, even been intimidating, but Aoba didn’t feel the least bit afraid of him.

His tongue caught up with his thoughts, sort of. “—I can’t pay you anything. I don’t even know what those crystals you gave the bartender were. I don’t want to be a freeloader…but….” Would he be an idiot to turn down the offer? He’d just be living off the streets unless he found something like a homeless shelter.

“…If you really mean that and I wouldn’t be a bother, I’d be very grateful, Declan.”