Sterling was hardly oblivious that he had likely been duped by the gypsy like woman within that obscure little market he chose to venture to for the sheer freshness of those herbs. He regarded that orrery with a small shrug, unsure of what to do with the object now that it had been near forced upon him. Frankly, he had bought it just to get the woman to leave him alone. He reached up, rubbing the back of his neck in a small show of guilt for that frivolous purchase. "Yeah, your probably right...." Sterling commented, his voice trailing off and yet, even if he suspected entirely well that the object was a hoax, he hardly was of the temperament to so return it now that it had been purchased. Truly, it would only be with Harley's presence the object would return from where it came. Her efforts to reassure him it was interesting, however, were easily waved off, the man instead saw fit to apologize for his rather abrupt and unspoken of disappearance.

She seemed altogether unperturbed by it, though he supposed it was easier to brush off a slight when it was well in the past. Even so, that near frank manner at which she so regarded him served only to bring a frown to his features, followed by a subtle sense of guilt within him. He could not deny that she was wrong and yet those simple words hit home in far more ways than one. "I guess so." He agreed with a vocal hint of hesitation to his voice. Harley seemed keen, however, on ensuring he knew well such a thing was but water under the bridge of their altogether peculiar friendship, admitting that she too had been forced to leave not long after he had done so. Fate, it seemed, had driven the pair from the city only to find each other thousands of miles away. It was funny, really, how life seemed to work like that and yet, Sterling was nearly inclined to believe that this meant something. Perhaps the reckless, destructive girl was meant to be in his life in some regards? Perhaps, he was merely blissfully wishing that there was some higher power to make sense of all that he had been through of late. He needed some reason why Henry had so mutilated him and left him with nothing but those rumors he'd heard of the man running off with some woman. God, it was a childish hope.

Sterling pulled those thoughts from that altogether dismal place, offering the young woman entry into his apartment with the forewarning that it was far messier than his dwelling usually was. In truth, Sterling simply hadn't held the interest or care in cleaning up after himself or that near rampant power that had birthed life to an obscene amount of greenery. Her insistence that it hardly bothered him, however, was only met with a small smile at the memories of all they had shared together in that joint project to repair that age old muscle car. It was a shame they never got to finish it but...maybe now they might be able to pick up where they left off. Nevertheless, a small shrug crossed his shoulders as he leaned heavily against the door, pushing it open to allow her to join him in that hallway. "Don't say I didn't blame you." He muttered as his bright blue eyes shifted towards that canine that so tentatively hesitated upon the threshold. "Come on, buddy." The warlock commented softly, holding out his fingers to allow the dog to sniff in case Ace failed to recognize him. He was hardly oblivious to how much older the dog had gotten since he'd last seen him. Ace seemed far slower to move than he once was.

He trailed slowly after the pair back into that living room, the man near flopping on the sofa he'd been curled upon but moment's later. That inquiry of the music caused a small shrug on his shoulders. "I don't know, I mean...the music sucks but...at least it's something to listen to?" He offered, perhaps hinting to that overwhelming silence that had lately filled his flat. He missed the sounds that simply came with living with another human being. Hell, he missed Henry. That follow up question that left her lips, however, produced yet another sigh upon his lips, the young man far more inclined to those hints of despondency even if he tried to appear as carefree as he once had been. Still, there was something that made him hesitate, the man unsure if he was prepared to deal with that reaction if Harley failed to remember that resounding point of difference between the unlikely duo. "Um...well...you...remember I'm a warlock...right?" He inquired tentatively before continuing on in a far more rushed tone. "I guess this is my newest gift though I'm still working out the kinks of it all." It was code word for 'I have no idea what the hell I am doing'. Even so, Sterling was trying to look on the bright side. "I mean, it'll save me a bunch of money going to the grocery store...I can grow almost anything...bet dinner will even taste better with all the fresh herbs and stuff..." Even though he hadn't been terribly inclined to that stove of late, that chef part of his brain was already contemplating all the things he could do with his newfound gift. It was merely a shame he no longer had anyone to share those delicacies with, even if they had mostly been lost upon Henry's tastebuds.

STERLING TENEMBRAGE