Gifting Fail
Erend's house looked like a herd of Tramplers had gone through it. The man himself was dressed only in a loose shirt and pants, both of which were streaked with dust.
"If you're busy, I can come back later," Aloy said.
"I was just doing some cleaning. Could use a break actually."
"This is cleaning?"
Erend laughed. "That's what I keep telling myself." He seemed different and Aloy realized she'd never seen him out of his armor before. Her cheeks flushed and she turned away. A flash of color draped over a chair caught her attention.
"Is that . . . a dress?"
"Ha, yeah. It was Ersa's." He picked it up, smiling. "See she had this suitor one time and he kept trying to impress her. So he'd buy her things like flowers and jewelry, stuff that Carja women usually like only this is Ersa and she's more into things like war hammers and armor, and one day, he shows up with this dress. And it's beautiful, but it sure as hell wasn't Ersa, especially not coming from him. I'd forgotten she kept it."
"So what happened with the suitor?"
Erend grinned. "Well, word might've gotten around to the other Vanguard and we might've . . . interfered a bit."
"This sounds like a story I want to hear."
"Oh it definitely is. Tus tells it better than I do though. You should come out with us sometime. The Vanguard all want to buy you drinks. And exchange tales of valor."
Aloy shook her head with a smile. "Sounds . . . interesting. I look forward to it."
"I wish you could have met Ersa. You two would have gotten along like a hammer and forge." He eyed her. "You probably wouldn't go for flowers and jewelry either, I'm guessing."
"Depends."
"On?"
She crossed her arms with a smirk. "On who's doing the giving. And what the occasion is." His brow furrowed thoughtfully and she raised an eyebrow. "Planning on doing some gifting, Captain?"
"Me? No, I just . . . curiosity, you know."
"Uh-huh."
He flushed and cleared his throat, turning away to move into the kitchen. "I want some tea, you thirsty?" Aloy smiled fondly at his back and followed him.