Thanos sends Grim back to her room.

The Chitauri envoy escorts her.

Perhaps Grim notices that this is the first time she's been chaperoned by a noncombatant?

The room looks, at first glance, how she left it.

(Might be worth taking a second glance, though)

She does notice that. And guesses that he at least trusts her not to try and kill anyone in the immediate.

A second glance is definitely in order. It- feels different, somehow.

Some of the toys have been moved around. The papers on her desk have been scattered about.

Among those scattered papers, she finds one with a brief note typed out on it:

          Run, while you still can

          Run, while you're still you

...Huh.

She resolves to watch the people around her more carefully. And destroys the note as best she can.

True to his word, Thanos gives Grim plenty of time to think.

Corvus' questions dry up by the end of the next day, but nothing changes when that happens.

Proxima continues to not kill her.

The meals continue to arrive.

And Cull continues coming by daily for sparring.

Do these days yield new insights for Grim?

She comes to realise she wants this. This strange familiarity and safety. She wants the daily sparring sessions with Cull. She wants the regular meals. She wants to have someone who asks her questions, even if she doesn't want to answer them. She does, to a degree want freedom, not much, but enough that Cull doesn't have to come and fetch her every time.

"Morning Grim!"

Chipper Gamora shows up with breakfast.

"Corvus says we're passing through a patch of space that you've operated in before, so if you'd like to take a trip up to the observation deck you could see some familiar stars?"

"-I would like that I think," she admits. "Although- I would like to speak to Lord Thanos when he has a moment as well?"

"Oh, I see."

Thoughtful pause.

"Obviously, Father's business takes precedence. I'll--yes, I'll report that right now."

She brings a finger up to her ear, activates a short-range personal comm unit and relays Grim's words.

"He and Proxima are midway through an inspection of the Outrider pods. She says I should bring you out out to the throne and wait for him to get back."

Gamora shrugs.

"The stars'll still be there tomorrow, I guess."

"I suppose they will at that." Pauses. "Will you take me to the observation deck tomorrow?"

"Yes, absolutely."

Gamora leads the way back to the now-deserted throne-room.

Grim is close on her heels.

Gamora settles down on the edge of the central dais.

And waits.

A couple times, it looks as though she's about to say something, but each time she swallows that down. She sometimes takes nervous glances over her shoulder.

Grim settles into an 'at ease' stance, loose and relaxed. She tilts her heads at each of the times Gamora looks like she's going to speak, but doesn't prompt anything.

Eventually, the two of them hear footsteps coming from one of the adjoined passageways.

Snippets of conversation reach them as well.

"--savage animals, have no right to complain--"

"--they are our savage animals--"

          "--deserve balance and structure--"

Thanos comes into view, with Proxima trailing at his heels. The titan strolls through the passage at a merely brisk pace, but the assassin beside him has to skip/jog to keep up with him.

Grim watches their approach, shifting slightly so that she's more at attention.

Thanos stops in front of Grim, appraising her wordlessly.

When he speaks next, it's to the other two assassins in earshot: "Girls, you may go."

"Yes Father."

Proxima gives Grim an annoyed look, then struts off.

"Yes, Father."

Gamora steals a glance at Grim before departing as well. She looks worried.

Grim is a blank impassive wall, but she notes Gamora's glance.

Thanos takes a knee, lowering himself almost but not quite enough for his face to be level with Grim's.

"You had something you wanted to say to me, little one?"

"Yes," she agrees quietly. "I- I'm sorry if- I don't have the words for this. But- What you've given me here? The space, the care, the ability to train, the chance to... Be. Without worrying about the rules suddenly changing? The-" her words catch in her throat, and when she continues, it's barely a whisper, and more vulnerable than she seems comfortable being. "The safety."

"I want that. And I want to repay what you've done for me. The trust you've shown me."

Thanos lets the words linger between them for a few seconds. They were very good words. He beams at her with as much warmth as his stony features can manage; he can see her vulnerability in this moment and he doesn't want her to have the slightest worry that she's doing something wrong.

He needs a little time to consider what she's just said. In a way, he's treading new ground here. The other strays he's picked up over the centuries? He'd crossed paths with them so early in their lives. He finds himself asking Grim things he'd never had to asked them--it's so much easier to know what's best for someone when they're still a nearly-blank slate, or if you've been there every ensuing step of the way as they grew.

But by this point, he feels reasonably confident in his assessment of this new little one's needs.

Yes. Just one more question for her. Practically rhetorical.

"Little one. Would you like to join my family?"