Short, but I didn't want to hold up the update.
Casra doesn't say a word for a long moment, his lips pressed into the faintest moue of curiosity, the bright gleam of purple glowing in the waning light of the Naberius sun. "Do you want to continue our equivalent exchange, or do you want me to leave it?" He's politely smiling, head cocked to a side as he observes Zeno.
"Will you leave it alone if I say I don't want to talk about it?" Zeno's question is short, and Casra tilts his head curiously, expression unchanging though his body holds a subtle undercurrent of intrigue.
"Sure." He shrugs. "You've left a few questions for me alone, so I suppose I can return the favor," Casra's smile is different this time – a touch bittersweet, but it stated his intentions quite clearly – at least, to him. Zeno mulls over the realization that he had a very clear idea of Casra's mercurial moods when most people would have instead called him impossible to read.
Zeno wonders idly if Casra can now do the same to him, but he dismisses the unsettling thought for the moment. He offers Casra another assessing look, before deciding to give it up – if only to distract him from the elephant in the room.
"I spent six years of my life from before entering the ARKs program an orphan." He decides to be blunt – if Casra had a problem with his candidness then tough. "The streets isn't really conductive to a decent education on proper speaking." Casra's expression remains unchanged, but there's a note of obvious sympathy in his tone when he responds.
"I was a lab-rat," he answers his own question first, before smiling ruefully. "I wouldn't have demanded an answer," he adds, almost chiding Zeno. Zeno grins ruefully in return.
"You've been so well behaved though," he teases lightly, gets Casra's amused response in the form of a glittering laugh, his smile brighter than he expected from such a simple show of trust. But then again… who trusted Casra with their deepest secrets? Even one so minor felt like a giant yield to him, and Zeno wonders about it. He shakes his head, expression shifting into a smile of his own. "My turn, I think." Zeno hums to himself, tapping a finger against his chin as he thinks about what he wants to ask. There's plenty, but much of it is deeply personal, and he doesn't want to answer it himself. One wanders to the events of a few days ago, and he thinks on it. It's personal, certainly, but he wouldn't mind answering in return – it wasn't dangerous on its own, and if he wanted to develop a genuine understanding of Casra, politely dancing around the subject wouldn't do anything. "How often do you have nightmares?" It's a simple question, but the nigh-imperceptible tensing of Casra's shoulders makes it clear the question has far deeper meaning to him. He pauses. "You don't have to tell me," he hazards, and Casra chuckles slightly at how their words echo one another.
"No, it's fine. If you were so kind as to answer my rude curiosity, I can oblige you with the same." Zeno frowns at the words, but before he can protest, Casra interjects carefully, tone deliberately mild to avoid seeming rude. "I do avoid actively counting these things, at least to myself – I'm not fond of the idea of counting how many of them I have in a night." Zeno winces, but before he can apologize, Casra continues blithely. "If it must be said, I would average eight or nine of them a week." Zeno flinches slightly. That was considerably more than he expected from Casra. The man notices and gives him a wry grin. "More than you expected, huh?" He seems a little tired, but he doesn't seem too fussed about answering, which reassures Zeno slightly. "Your turn," he says, smiling ruefully.
"One every couple of weeks." He shrugs sheepishly, before hesitantly continuing. "I used to get them more when I was still a Ranger." Casra seems to understand, nods back at him. The pause between his answer and Casra's question stretches, before he finally heaves a tired sigh and speaks.
"What do you regret?" The question hurts – a stab into his chest that burned in his heart – and he gives Casra a wide-eyed glance as a result. He can't deny that he really did have that question coming, after his own rather personal attack, even if it was unintentional. It's not something however that Zeno would have expected Casra to ask – given that it seemed far too deep and personal for the quiet third seat. He uncharitably thinks that this is vengeance, but he can't be so cruel as to think that, given that he'd just caused Casra no unreasonable amount of distress.
"Giving up on my class." It's true, but the look of bemused surprise on Casra's face makes it clear the man hadn't expected that as an answer. He smiles at his disbelief but elaborates. "It was easy for me – but even then – I could have advanced our knowledge of the class, of myself…" He laughs, the tone as bittersweet as Casra's own response. "Instead, I gave up, when I should have pushed." Casra looks sympathetic now, reaches a hand out to carefully rest his hand on Zeno's shoulder.
"I'm sorry." He sounds it, and he knows Casra means it with every syllable. Zeno gives him another half-hearted smile, accepts the apology with a soft murmur of thanks. "I understand your regret," Casra seems sincere, and he divulges his own secret, glances away. "There… were lives I could have saved. I wasn't able to stop what killed them." Zeno wonders what happened – he'd never heard about it, but he doubted that Casra would make such a thing public. He doesn't think a simple statement of sympathy will cut it. Zeno yanks Casra closer, and the man gives out a muffled squeak of alarm when Zeno buries him within the depths of a hug, hat knocked off in the show of affection. The man gives a weak attempt at escape, but Zeno doesn't let go, and eventually the man relents, falling limp within his grasp and pressing himself closer to accept the warmth given to him, head settling comfortably against his shoulder as the adult shivers against him, holding himself resolute despite the offer to break down, to trust. Zeno doesn't feel disappointment when Casra pulls away without giving in, but he feels as though there is something… more, between their friendship. Maybe this is what he wants, but Zeno can't help but be happy about the idea of having a deeper friendship with the enigmatic third seat.
Casra seems more steady upon his feet, and he offers a more genuine smile towards Zeno, his expression buoyed by the given affection. He smiles shyly at Casra's grateful expression, the two parting from one another as Zeno eyes him. He seems a little sheepish, and Zeno takes pity on him.
"I should probably go," Zeno says with a smile, and Casra looks even more grateful at those words, and the two drift away. "See you soon?" He asks the words hopefully, and Casra's eyes light with pleasure.
"Of course." He chuckles, presses his hand into a fist and punches him gently with his fist, not even budging the Hunter, who chuckles at him fondly, Casra disappearing through his signature technique.