Strange (I'd Do Anything)
"No, Zia, you can't come with me."
"Why not?" she asked, fixing the Kid with a defiant look. "I want to come along."
"Why would you want to do that?" he asked, looking confused. "I'm not goin' sight-seeing, if that's what you're thinking."
"It's not," she answered, "and I hope you're not implying that I'm stupid."
His face colored as his eyes widened. "Wha— I-I'm not—"
"Then let me come along."
Kid sighed, scrubbing a hand through his thick, curly hair. "I said no and I meant it. Zia, it's dangerous out there."
"I know it is," she told him. "But I was doing alright in Prosper Bluff on my own."
"That was— that was different!" he grumbled.
"How?" When he struggled to find an answer, she smiled knowingly. "Come on, Kid, just let me come. I just want to help."
"Help?" The Kid looked confused again. "Help how? There's a thousand things out there ready to tear you to pieces, and you think coming along would help me?" He shook his head, and his expression turned cold. "Honestly, you'd be a distraction. I don't mean no offense, but if I gotta protect both of us, ain't neither one of us is comin' back."
Zia looked hurt, but she put her hands on her hips and stood her ground. "You're just saying that."
"I'm not," said the Kid, and his frown grew. He almost looked angry, which was an emotion she hadn't seen on him in a long time. "Zia, I appreciate you wantin' to help and all, but you really should stay here."
"But—"
"No." There was no denying he was angry now, and he advanced on Zia with a glare. It frightened her a little, and she backed away without thinking. "Enough's enough, Zia. The answer is no. I don't need you. You'd only be in the way. Stay here and let a man do his job."
Zia choked back a sob. "A man's job, huh?" she asked, trying to hold onto her anger. It was the only thing keeping her from crying. "I'm just some useless girl, am I?"
Kid hesitated. He looked her in the eyes for a moment, and Zia could have sworn she saw a hint of sadness there. Then his expression hardened again and he turned away, hefting his hammer and leaning it against his shoulder.
"Take it however you want," he said softly. Zia watched him as he approached the skyway, then disappeared into the bright blue as it whisked him into the air and away. She stayed only a moment longer before running back through the Bastion to Rucks' quarters, fighting back tears.
When she found him, the old man was tinkering with some gadget on his makeshift desk. He looked up immediately when he heard her approach. At first he smiled, but when he saw how upset she was, he dropped the gadget and met her halfway.
"Why, Zia, what—"
"That stupid Kid!" she wailed, throwing her arms around his middle. Rusks rocked on his bad leg for a moment, wincing, but he regained his balance and placed a comforting hand on her back.
"What's that Kid done now?" he asked gently.
So she told him; she explained the argument, from start to finish, making sure every word and every inflection was correct. It was harder to do when one was crying, but when she felt Rucks had a sufficient handle on the situation, she fell quiet and let the tears flow.
Rucks sighed, staring off in the direction of the skyway. "Oh Kid, that was too far," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "What are you trying to do?"
"What?" Zia asked with a sniffle, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "What do you mean?" Rucks fished through his things and pulled out a handkerchief, which he promptly handed to the Ura girl.
"There's one thing you've got to understand about the Kid," Rucks explained, sitting her down on a barrel. He took a seat next to her, patting her on the shoulder. "His methods might not be as polished as you'd like, but he means well. Ain't hardly anything that would make him hurt you."
"It doesn't seem that way to me," she said sullenly, crumpling the handkerchief in her hand. Rucks took her hand and smiled.
"I ain't sayin' what he did was right, but you've got to see it from his eyes. If you're gonna get hurt, I think he'd rather it be by his hand than some mean ol' Lunkhead."
Zia blinked in surprise. "You… you mean he…?"
Rucks just smiled. "Kid don't always wear his heart on his sleeve, but that don't mean he ain't got one."
Zia smiled. "I thought he was acting a bit strange…"
The old man nodded. "Just go easy on him, Zia, he ain't had much dealing with women. Drop him out in the Wilds with nothin' but his shirt and he'll survive, but you put a girl in front of him… and he's just a Kid."
"Thank you, Rucks," she said, standing and handing the handkerchief back with an apologetic smile.
"Aah, I didn't do nothin'," he said with a smile, waving her off and going back to his work. Zia hugged him from behind, surprising the old man, then ran off with a smile. She was still mad at the Kid, of course, but she understood now; and understanding made it bearable.
Strange, she thought to herself, that being angry at a person would make you love them more.