An unsually quiet afternoon in the house.

Sebille was absorbed in her reading. She had the afternoon off for once and was fully enjoying it (with her book).

She'd joined Null on the couch, while he took a nap. Well, actually he was just resting his eyes, he wouldn't allow himself to fall asleep properly even in his own room, let alone somewhere as public as the living room. She was there, too, so another reason to not fall asleep.

He didn't trust anybody and she knew it.

The peace was disrupted by his cell phone. It beeped.

She was pulled away from her book and reality came crashing back to her. She  turned to look at the interruptor.

She doubted anything good ever came from that phone of his.

... He didn't seem too surprised, either.

Would he let her see what it was again?

She was curious but at the same time wasn't sure if she really wanted to know.

It was a message, she could see the text but not make out any of it.

Curiously, she leaned forward a bit as he was reading it. It had places, times and short sentences written on it.

Probably work related instructions.

He closed the phone after reading the information and shifted on the couch, as if he was going to get up.

She looked down. He'd leave again and it would start all over again.

It wasn't good for him anymore and it was her fault. She didn't feel that guilty about it, though. Did that make her a bad person?

" ..."

Why did he look at her? She didn't want to lift her gaze and look back. She didn't want to see what he wanted to say. She didn't want to know that he was actually going and be gone for god knows how long again.

He didn't leave.

 And from the corner of her eye she saw how he opened the phone again.

Checking the information again? Giving an okay?

She didn't want to know.

He lifted the phone to his ear and she could hear the faint sound of the dial tone in the quiet of the room.

What?

"I'm not doing it."
He said it in his low voice, full of authority and pride. No emotion mixed with it.

...What?

"That's it? You call them and say that you won't do it and... you won't have to?"

"Yes."

That was really it? That easy?

Then again. It was probably just this time. He'd be pulled in again, she knew it. She didn't want to think about it and she didn't want to believe it, though.

He had refused this time... For whatever reason and that was what mattered.

Still, she wanted to know.

"Why...?"