Safi comes in through the back door, dusting water and snow and ice from her hair and shaking it out.

The kitchen is... a bit of a mess. Ren's by the counter, which is littered with bowls and cups and spoons and ingredients, and there's already a pot on the stove and, judging by the smells, possibly something in the oven, too. His coat's on a chair, sleeves pushed up above his elbows, and he probably doens't know about the smudge of flour on his face.

Safi grins, closing the door and coming to him, to wipe away the smudge with a finger. "Hallo Ren," she says softly, bouncing on her feet. "I found you!"

Serendipity glances over at the sound of the door, and grins, wrinkling his nose rather cutely when the smudge is wiped away. "Hiya, beautiful. Didn't know you were lookin' for me. Should I be countin' to a hundred and goin' to find you, now?"

Her expressions are strange, somehow--she has been upset recently, and there is something tenuous, fragile in her smile. Her hand lingers on his cheek. "What are you making?"

Serendipity leans his cheek into Safi's hand, just a little, and then glances back to the counter, dusting his hands off on each other and settling them on his hips as he surveys the carnage. "...lunch," he decides, after a moment. "If it turns out right, rabbit stew. And cookies. And maybe something else. Not sure what..."

Safi's smile widens a touch. "I know good rabbit stew," she says. "I never have cookies. What is cookies?"

Serendipity blinks. "You never had cookies?" he echoes incredulously. "...well, I hope they come out a'ight, 'cause we gotta fix that. They're... usually they're kinda small 'n' round 'n' flat, and kinda like... a kinda bread, only sweet." He glances at the oven, as if he could tell with x-ray vision if it were done. And then, back to her. "You okay, lovely? Lookin' a little down."

Safi tugs the slipping smile back into place, though it is a touch wistful. "I am okay. I just wanted to be wis' a friend, for a while."

Serendipity reaches out and wraps an arm around Safi's shoulders, giving her an affectionate squeeze. "Well, here I am, gorgeous," he replies cheerfully. "What can I do for ya?"

"How soon is finished?" she asks, glancing to the cooking and then returning the green eyes to him.

Serendipity thinks about it a moment, and shrugs. "I dunno, five or ten minutes?" It doesn't seem to be a major concern in his world.

Safi catches her lower lip in her teeth, and nods. "Is okay, I have some? Or-- or no?"

Serendipity's brows lift a touch, and then he laughs. "Heh. Yeah, of course it's okay, beautiful. Plenty t' share."

Safi smiles faintly. "Thank you. You are good friend." Something flickers across her face, and she looks away. "I make for you, sometime."

"Well, I try," Ren replies, giving her another little squeeze, then turning her loose so he can tend to cleaning up. It actually doesn't take terribly long. "You made me some the other day. It was good, by the way." The oven makes a little chime, and he pulls out a tray of hot cookies. They smell great.

Safi helps wash and put things away--evidently familiar with the kitchen. She sniffs, when he gets out the cookies, blinking in surprise.

Serendipity turns with a flourish to display the tray to Safi, triumphantly. "Ta da. I present to you... cookies." He sets it on the counter, and checks on the stew. "Heh, I am SO good. Grab a couple bowls?"

Safi grins, and rummages into the right cabinet, pulling down two earthenware bowls for the stew and finding a couple of spoons, too. "Is okay, these?"

Serendipity nods, serving up two healthy portions. "Perfect. Stew, then cookies. ...we need some bread." He scares some up, then carries both meals (sans cookies) to the table, and offers Safi a seat. "...so talk t' me, beautiful. What's up?"

Safi comes out with him, but looks over her shoulder toward the tray of cookies. She sits down, and lifts one shoulder, avoiding then question by eating.

Serendipity takes a bite, and looks decidedly pleased with himself. There's munching-filled silence for a minute or so before he remarks, conversationally, "Y'know, lovely, I may not be able t' mystically read how you feel or anything, but I =do= have eyes 'n' all."

Safi gives him a swift, faint smile in between bites. "Is very good," she says quietly. Then she lowers her eyes and dips in some bread. "I am O. K."

Serendipity looks less than convinced, but drops it for at least a moment. "Innit? I'm so damn good," he preens airily, stuffing his face. He watches her sidelong through the meal, taking stock of her expressions and such.

She remains quiet and thoughtful, her gaze avoiding his as she eats. "Yes. Very good. Is better zen me."

"Nothing's better'n you," Ren replies immediately, with a teasing wink, and pushes the bowl away, finished. "Glad you like it, though. Sometimes stuff I make comes out better'n others..."

Safi finishes with her spoon, and then sops up the last of the stew with bits of bread. She smiles across to him, and nods. "Me too. Sometimes good, sometimes only food." Wrinkling her nose, she says, "Is hard, with spices, to get everysing right."

Serendipity nods. "Yeah. Plus, I usually throw in whatever looks like it might be tasty in it. Sometimes I'm wrong." He grins broadly, and collects their bowls, taking them to the kitchen and returning with a plate full of still-warm cookies.

Safi straightens, her interest piqued. She snatches up a cookie and sniffs it, then bites into it experiementally. Her eyes widen in surprise, and she makes a small startled noise.

Serendipity waits, watching closely. It's not every day one gets to see someone eat her first cookie, after all. Especially not someone their age. He grins at her reaction, but waits for her to comment.

Safi chews carefully, and swallows; a smile touches her lips as she takes another bite. Her eyes are bright, full of wonder, watching him.

Serendipity takes a cookie himself, and has a bite or two, still watching her, before prompting, "So.... whatcha think?"

Safi finishes one off, and swallows. Her smile is slow, a little goofy. "Is wonderful. You show me, how to make zem?"

Serendipity grins broadly, even more pleased than about the stew. Nigh delighted, really. "Yeah, 'course. I know how t' make a couple kinds, there was this inn I stayed at for a couple months where they taught me 'em. Work for room 'n' board, you know." He polishes off his cookie, happily.

Safi nods minutely. "Thank you," she replies, solemn.

"Any time, lovely," Ren returns gallantly, "You're more'n welcome." He looks thoughtful a moment, then holds up a finger, ducks into the kitchen again, and returns with two glasses of milk, one of which he sets by Safi before he sits again.

Safi's brow furrows, and she leans closer to the glass to sniff at it experimentally.

Serendipity blinks again. "...what, you never had milk before, either?" he asks, startled. "It's good with cookies. Honest."

Safi gives him a skeptical look, and says, "Milk is for cubs and babies. Is human milk? Or from goat, or somesing else?"

Serendipity looks at the milk critically. "Goat, or cow, prolly. Maybe sheep, I guess, but less likely. People aren't big on drinkin' human milk after they're, like... two or three, mostly."

Safi looks bemused. "So zey drink from ozzer animal instead?" She frowns. "Humans are strange." She tries a sip of the milk, cautiously, and wrinkles her nose.

"Why not?" Ren shrugs, "They eat 'em, don't they? Eat 'em, eat their babies, wear their skin, burn an' wash with their fat, make stuff outta their bones, why not drink their milk, too? Tastes pretty good." He dips the edge of one of the cookies into his glass of milk, and bites the moistened portion.

Safi frowns a little, and mimics him, getting another cookie and dipping it. She nibbles, tipping her head and observing, "Is okay, like zis. I do not like to drink."

Serendipity shrugs again, but grins. "Hey, whatever floats your boat," he replies carelessly. "Drink it, dunk cookies, ignore it completely, whichever." He's mainly following the first route, between cookies. He looks silly with a milk mustache. It never lasts long, though; he tends to lick it off.

The sight brings a smile, a brightening in her eyes. "You like, hm." She finishes off her second cookie, and slides the half-empty glass toward him. Her expression is shy, wistful. "I like the cookies," she confesses. Then she ducks her head. Crossing both arms on the table, she pillows her chin on them, frowning.

Serendipity accepts the offered glass, and sets it beside his own, not yet finished. "...yeah, I like it. You can't get it everywhere, y'know..." The confession makes him grin again, though it fades a little at her frown. "Cookie for your thoughts?"

"Do you think life is for winning?" Her eyes remain downcast, distant.

Serendipity's brow furrows a little, and he tilts his head. "For winning what? Like... do I think life's a competition and the point's to beat other people at it?"

"Yes," she whispers. "Is this, how you live?"

Serendipity's brow stays furrowed, and he shakes his head, still studying her. "No, beautiful. That's not how I live."

Safi straightens a fraction. "Good," she says softly. "I did not think."

"Why d'you ask?" Ren inquires.

The green eyes lift to his, uncertainly. "I have..." She looks down again, uncomfortable, her hands fidgeting with each other. "I have fight, with Jack."

Serendipity ahhhhs, quietly, and shifts his chair over fairly close beside hers, bringing the cookies (and his milk) over as well. "Thought you mighta," he admits gently. "You wanna talk about it? Does he live his life that way?"

Safi shakes her head quickly, straightening. "No. But once. He-- said he did bad things, before." She swallows, and glances down unhappily. "I did not undairstand."

Serendipity considers this a moment. "What kinda bad things did he do, before?"

Safi lifts one shoulder, and lets it fall. "Stealing. Chasing women, take zem away from husbands... gambling. Taking things, because he can."

Serendipity arches a brow slightly. "Yeah, well, value judgements and intentions aside... which part didn't you understand?"

Safi shakes her head minutely, and looks across to him. "I do not want to talk," she whispers.

Serendipity sighs, and leans over to give the girl a tight, close hug, if she allows it. "A'ight," he agrees, gently, "Don't talk now, then. But it's easier t' sort things out if y'do. Just... for reference."

Safi stays within the curve of his arm, leaning against him, letting one hand rest splayed against his chest. She nuzzles for a moment at the side of his neck, and then sighs audibly.

Serendipity closes his eyes briefly at the nuzzle, and sighs as well, gathering the girl in for a close cuddle, as best he can given the separate chairs. "Hey," he murmurs, after a minute or so, "...it'll be okay, lovely. One way or another, things always work out."

Safi hugs his waist, loosely, and lifts her head enough to kiss his cheek. "Thank you, Ren," she says, solemn and quiet.