The dull din of the rain tapping against the roof above fills the room alongside the distant sound of thunder, rumbling in the distance. I forgot that it was raining here, it feels like I was stuck in that nightmare for ages. How long were we asleep, then? The passage of time is, well, it's always going to be odd in there, isn't it? I don't know if I'll ever get a grasp on it. I don't expect to honestly, I don't expect to fully understand dreams of all things.
I've tried to at least doze off a little to pass whatever time's left in the day, but it eludes my grasp, barely out of reach no matter how long I close my eyes. At least it's warm, Mabel's body feels like a miniature heater pressed against my chest. I look down to her, lips twitching upwards as I run my hand through her hair, the girl mumbling in her sleep and shuffling a little, her small frame shuddering before relaxing into the folds of the bed.
Cute kid, good kid.I still don't know why, but being so close to her does help soothe my heart, putting my mind at east. She helps in general,And yet, as comforting as it is, all this time along gives my mind the chance to wander. Adrian isn't even awake to be a prick to take my mind off of it either, and it's hard to reign in.
A shuddering sigh escapes my lips, the fleeting memory of that red hot rage still lingers in my damn head, I swear I can feel the echoes of boiling blood in my veins too. I purse my lips together into a thin line and hold her closer, resting my chin atop her head, the tips of my fingers twitching before pressing onto her back. The memories stain my mind, like a bloody leech that won't get off of me
And the more I worry about it, and the more I hate it, I loathe the feeling of disgust that stirs and writhes in my chest. Stupid stupid man, what would happen if something like that happens in reality instead?
Oh god, the feeling, it was such a delightful rush, it felt fucking glorious in the moment, a delicious rush of violence, I didn't even think about it, I just did what I wanted. I could barely control myself, it just felt good and I relished in that moment. Is that what I am, just some sort of animal that, just like that nightmare look-alike? Is that really how I fight? Fuck, no wonder it felt so familiar.
And now that the adrenalines died down, it both tastes and feels like sour shit, now that I've had the chance to stir in my own thoughts. I can taste the bile that builds up in the back of my throat, and swallowing it down leaves an awful vile taste that lingers. Would I act like that, given the right motivation? Would I be able to think properly, what if I hurt someone close?
What if I hurt he-
No, no no no no no, impossible. I won't let it happen, no matter the cost. I won't let anyone lay a finger on her, even if it's myself. I'll stop myself, can I stop myself? No, I don't think I can, depending on what happens anyways, I certainly couldn't last time. Fuck fuck fuck, could someone else stop me? Adrian then? No, no, I don't think he'll be able to help either, he can't exactly force control over my body, nor do I think he would want to anyways, he's rather adamant about that.
Maybe I could talk to Edward about it, Lucy, maybe even Anna? Both of the ladys could probably hold me down with her magic for as long as need be, probably anyways, assuming either of them is nearby. And Edward, he can beat me in a fight, at least, I sure hope so.
Yeah, that's what I'll do, I'll talk to them about it later, just as a safety net of sorts. It's just a safety net. To protect others from me. Even then, that's assuming that they're nearby, and that's not guaranteed in the slightest. Maybe Lucy at best, she probably wants things from me, so I imagine she'd stick with me to get it. Less so for Edward and Anna, the both of them have reason to stay here, I don't, other than a place to stay.
God, what a fucking terrible time to be stuck alone. My lips twist into a deep frown as I pull myself away from the kid, humming to myself as I look into the blankets, instead of her.
But, it wouldn't come to that, right? It's just an idea as of now, something that's meant to be a precaution and nothing more, I'm sure it'll be fine. So why do I still feel so scared, why can I barely feel my limbs?
What a fucking pain in the ass. I sigh to myself and bring a hand to my face, mashing the palm against my nose. Maybe I'm just overacting again, maybe I'm just being paranoid, I'll keep it in mind if nothing else. I'm just glad that the last few days have been at least peaceful enough, given what could happen.
I'm not sure why, but that only puts me on edge, I can feel the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. It's as if something should be happening, I just don't know what. A soft whimper tears me from my thoughts, sight flicking to the small keidran in front of me, her body shuffling before her eyelids flicker open, the golden glow of her eyes pierce through the dark of the room.
"Hey kid, sleep wel- urk!" The force of her skull mashing against my chest cuts my question off real quick, brief and dull pain echoing from the impact as she wraps her arms around my neck, squeezing tightly with the tip of her claws pressing against flesh. She lets out a small mumble, but doesn't respond further, choosing instead to press her forehead into me, just like a damned cat. As confused as I am, I can't help but smile a little at the sight, resting my hand atop her head and ruffling it gently. I can't say I expected that reaction, but I can imagine why she's a bit concerned. "I'm alright kid, I'm sorry for making you worry."
"Mnn." She mumbles once more, her tail wagging before she curls it around the both of us, shuffling a little to rest her chin on my chest. The golden glow is always a soothing one to look at, and I'd never complain about it either, ears twitching as her head tilts to the side. "Are you sure you're okay?"
I give her a small smile and ruffle her hair some more, much to her apparent delight, the sound of her giggling filling the air even above the racket from the rain above, I can feel her purring vibrating against the bed. Dammit kid, I'm meant to be looking after you, not the other way around.
"I'm absolutely sure, are you okay kid?"
"Mhm!" She lets out a beaming smile and nods rapidly, nudging her head into my hand further still, that smile of hers widening as I dig my fingers behind her ears, massaging lightly. It's really easy to pet the girl,it's almost second nature at this point, she really does remind me of a cat. I sure hope that this isn't demeaning to foxes or anything, the kid's too bloody cute.
"I'm sorry for waking you, kid." I do owe her an apology after all, it's not meant to be her job to help me. She pauses for a moment, her eyelids flickering open with the tilt of her head.
"Nuh, it's okay." She says after a moment with the shake of her head, that cute smile still plastered on her face. I feel like it's just my eyes playing up, but it almost looks like the glow of her eyes intensifies. Definitely just me, but still brings a smile to my face regardless. Still, as much as I want to yell at myself, I can't exactly bring myself to damper her spirits.
"If you say so, kid." She hums and nods, though that could just be because I'm petting her again, not like I can judge her. It's nice to have company again, it's nice to be able to get away from my thoughts, even if it's still lingering at the back of my mind. This is an alright time to relax, isn't it?
The drizzle of the rain taps against the roof even still, a light rhythmic beating against the wood above. I still don't like the thing, and my skin crawls at the thought of it, but at least the kid seems to like it well enough. Would she want to see it again, would she want to touch it? I don't see why not, she did like it a bunch before. I wonder if I could have a chat with Lyn about her and Felicity playing together again too, despite her worry about me being angry for her getting messy in the end, it's still a good memory, and she needs more of that.
Maybe I should stop for now, I don't want my mind to wander too much into that territory. Not yet, if at all. I let out a soft sigh, digging a finger into her fur and idly scritching behind her ear.
"Sorry for waking you by the way, kid." I break the silence after a while, lips pursed into a thin line. She hums in response, looking up to me before shaking her head.
"It's okay, you had a bad dream, right?" She asks in that innocent tone of hers, her head tilting to the side. I stifle a snort and nod instead, still trailing a finger up her ear. Bad dream is an understatement, but I guess it's an apt enough term for it. "W-well, you'd try to help if I had a bad dream, right? So I'd do the same!"
God, that tone of her sounds so determined, even if it comes out with a squeak, gold eyes glowing with that childish resolve of hers. Pride swells in my chest as my lips curl upwards, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her upwards.
"You're a good kid, Mabel." I whisper the honest truth to her, pressing my lips against the top of her head. It brings a soothing delight to my heart to hear that cute squeak of hers, and to feel her nestle her face into my neck. Her small hands ball into fists, lightly tugging at my shirt. She looks comfortable enough, and her body relaxes into my arms and the bed below, but something about the silence is… it's off putting. Is there something wrong? Maybe I'm overthinking it again, but I'd rather ask her, just in case. "Are you okay Mabel?"
I run my hand through her hair, continuing to knead at the back of her ears every so often, my lips pursed into a thin line as I wait. She can take as long as she needs, if she's comfortable talking about it. It hurts to see her like this, so fragile, to flip from determined to this.
"M'fine." She finally breaks her silence with a mumble, heated breaths pressing against my neck. I hum to myself, fingers tangled in her hair, spare arm still wrapped around her body. I don't need to be the most perceptive bastard to know something's up.
"I'm here to help Mabel, I want to help you, with whatever you need, should you want it." I whisper to her in a soft tone, lightly squeezing her. Her breathing shudders for a moment, the grip on my chest tightening. My lips dip into a frown, squeezing her ever tighter, my hand shifting and trailing down to her back, gently rubbing at it. I pushed too far, I'll pull it back before it gets worse. "I'll never force you to talk if you don't want to, kid."
For any choice is better than none at all, and that's something she desperately deserves. She doesn't speak up, it's not a surprise by any means, but I don't exactly blame her. It doesn't seem like a very comfortable thought, I know plenty about those and a kid shouldn't be worrying about them either. Her breathing stabilises after a moment at least, her tense body relaxing back into the bed as her grip loosens. I still keep a soft hold on her, resting my chin atop her head, brushing up and down her back.
"I-I remember, I remember someone holding me close and keeping me warm whenever I had a bad dream, to keep me quiet, or when I woke up when I was meant to be sleeping. O-others would be angry at me, if I woke them up, they were always so loud." Her voice is low and soft, coming out as a cracking squeak, barely audible above the thrumming of the rain, her body stiffening with each passing second. As much as I want to speak, to assure her that she doesn't need to talk, I clamp my mouth shut anyways. If she thinks she can muster the courage to, then who am I to deny her? "T-they used to sleep with me, kinda like this, they always made sure I could sleep, so I thought I'd try to do the same for you. I d-don't know why, but they were nice, I think. I w-wanna remember them, but I can't, I can't remember their face, or t-their name…"
My chest tightens, as does her hold on my shirt, her breathing turning raspy and forced. It almost physically hurts to hear the damned sound, my heart wrenching and twisting inside me, clamped jaw tightening as I squeeze her tighter. She shudders and lets out a sniffle, shirt dampening further every second.
I hold her close through it all, not a sound coming through my lips despite the feelings that stir inside. It's one thing to hear what scant things she's willing to talk about, it's another to hear her turn into this sobbing mess. I don't know why she has trouble remembering most of it, but maybe it's just her suppressing the worst of it, there's not much else for her to do, is there? She's just a kid. I squeeze my eyes shut and take in a soft hiss of air through my nose, hand still rubbing up and down her back. If she can talk about this, then I can stomach my feelings and immediate disgust, she needs someone to comfort her above all else. Don't make the kid feel worse.
"It's alright kid, it's okay, you can let it all out." I crack my jaw open to whisper to her, in what I hope is a soft enough tone, pressing my face down into her hair. It's just an attempt, but it's the least I could do right now. It feels as if time stretches on far longer than it should,noise coming from her a heart wrenching one that yanks at the heartstrings inside, but her sniffling and whimpers eventually starts to die downt. It's far from a short process, but the whimpering stops, the sniffling turning relatively silent, the sound of her breathing taking its place, but even then it's an uneven one.
"S-sorry, Zeke." She says with a whimper, her voice muffled by my shirt. I resist the urge to flinch at the the apology, because she really shouldn't have to feel sorry about this, but I stomach the bile in my throat regardless,
"It's alright kid, I promise." And I don't break promises. I continue to rub up and down her back, till even her breathing becomes just that little bit more steady, her tight hold on me loosening just that little bit. She doesn't seem nearly as tormented as before if nothing else, judging from the way her body relaxes back into the sheets, into my arms. IMy heart feels heavy and frayed because of all this, but I can deal with that well enough by myself. "Do you feel better kid?"
"Y-yeah, I think so." She doesnt sound entirely sure, but her tone sounds a bit better than before, stronger and more level. It's better than it being wracked by sobbing tears. She nudges herself into my chest, rubbing her wet face onto my chest. I don't mind it in the slightest, I just want her to feel better. I purse my lips together, humming lightly as my thoughts stir. I do want her to feel better, so maybe, maybe I could try to do something more to help? Just some extra words to help try to comfort her.
"Hey, Mabel, do you have any more memories of that person?" She pulls herself away and looks up to me, her head tilted to the side. Dried streaks of tears line her face, from her eyes to her jaw, her eyes still sparkling from unshed tears. It hurts to see her like this, I love her bright beaming grin infinitely more than this.
"Y-yeah, I think so, is that okay?" She responds, her tone stills trained, but more inquisitive than hurt. Good, that's already better than I feared, even if the words are a bit… well, odd.
"It's more than okay, I want you to remember that person, I want you to remember anything positive about them, alright?" I ruffle her hair as I speak, scratching behind her ears before pulling away. She seems confused by the question, but that's better than her being sad, right?
"Okay, I'll try, but why do you want me to?"
"Because that means someone else cared about you, even if you don't remember them, they probably remember you." She mumbles to herself, seemingly mulling over my words as she sinks into the pillow.
"I guess… but why did they leave me?" Now that, that's a very important question indeed. If someone else cared for her once upon a time, where are they now, were they forced to leave the kid behind? I purse my lips together and hum, rummaging through my head. Shit, how do I explain this to a kid?
"I'd like to hope that they didn't want to leave you, and that they'd stay if they could. Sometimes, things just happen because of other people, human or otherwise. They sound like a good person, and I'm sure they loved you kid." I give the girl another head rub and a smile, even if it feels a tad forced. She lets out a happy sounding sigh, and I can see her lips twitch upwards, but nothing else comes of it. The air doesn';t feel as tense as before if nothing else, so I guess that's good. But that's not enough, I don't want her to feel sad if I can do something about it. "Hey, it's still raining outside, do you want to go watch it?"
"Really!?" Her shrill and delighted cheer pierces through the blanket of sadness that seems to weigh on her, lips morphed into that wondrously bright grin of hers as her eyes sparkle. She stammers for a second, her smile twisting down into a bashful looking one, a dusting of pink crossing her face. "I-if you want to."
I loathe the rain and I'd love to live the rest of my life without seeing it again.
"Of course, kid." I finally pipe up, smile growing as she cheers once again. She presses her head into my hand, nuzzling roughly before slipping away, the sound of her paws touching the floor before I've even mustered the will to move. I like the kid more than I hate the rain, so I can stomach it for her. I chuckle to myself and follow suit, shuffling into a seating position, taking my damn time to stretch my limbs, the sound of popping joints echoing in my ears.
"Come oooon!" Hearing her whine only brings joy to my heart, because that means she feels comfortable enough to want something, my smile widening as I push myself off of the bed. I swipe up my cloak from the floor before waltzing over to her.
"You know you can leave without me, right?" Her giggling response is more than a good enough answer, as is the beaming smile that she flashes as she looks up to me. I drape my cloak over her shoulders, shuffling it around before tightly tying it shut, hand reaching up to run my hand through her hair. "Don't want you getting cold out there."
I stand upright and open the door, the fox bolting into the next room in a green blur, the tips of the oversized cloak still dragging on the wooden floor. I finally step through myself, the girl already scrambling to drag the front door open before flinging herself out into the cold.
Heh, fucking adorable little thing. I chuckle to myself, looking over the room and humming to myself. Anna isn't in here, and I can't imagine that she's outside, is she still in her room then? Doesn't seem too improbable, I guess. I look down to my hand and flex my fingers, wincing a little at the pained memory. I almost forgot about that for a moment, I'm still surprised that it followed me into the dream, and I sure as shit hope that it'll dissipate eventually.
What am I doing here still though? She's already outside, I might as well at least try to enjoy the rain, right? I shake my head and walk through the rest of the room, a shiver running up my spine as I step outside into the cold. And cold it is, even if the rain's just a drizzle when compared to before, the water's seeped into the dirt and turned it to a sludgy mud. I purse my lips together and look up to the edge of the roof, thick and heavy water droplets dripping off of it and onto the wooden stairs before.
I do not like the rain, not in the slightest, thank god I'm not here for that alone. My lips curl up into a smile as I look over to the kid, half of her body hanging off of the rail, her tail pressing against the back of my cloak and pushing through, shifting in a wagging motion underneath it all. I still can't see the appeal in any of this, but as long as she's happy.
And happy she is, the girl looks as if she's enthralled by the rushing water, her body leaning forward occasionally to look at… the sky, I think, maybe she's looking at the clouds? I take a few steps forward to take a peek at it myself. The clouds still have that deep grey tinge to them, but it's a far cry from the rolling black blanket that once stained the sky.
"Gah!" A cold, wet feeling splatters against the top of my skull, stumbling away from the ledge and running my hand through my hair, fucking rain! I grumble to myself and smother the cold feeling, dragging and flicking away the water patting it down. Giggling catches my attention, my sight turning from the rain over to the kid, her golden eyes glowing with excitement with a flash of a bright smile on her face, lingering for a moment before turning away to look into the rain. I give her a smile of my own, even if she can't see it, backing away and leaning into the wall of the cottage.
She enjoys herself at least, I can deal with getting a little wet and cold. I close my eyes shut and let out a soft sigh, pressing the back of my skull against the wood. It's peaceful, soothing almost, despite the rain.
A tingling sensation rises from the back of my skull, my face scrunching up as the peaceful silence shatters. Well, nevermind then.
I assume that's you, Adrian?
'Mngf.'
A poorly stifled snicker sneaks past my lips, my eyes cracking open to check on the girl. She doesn't seem to notice, and I don't exactly know how to explain to someone that I talk to a voice in my head.
'Stop thinking so loud, each fucking word feels like a hammers smashing my head open.'
Good morning to you too. How are you feeling?
'Despite the hammering?'
Despite that, do you feel, you know, all there?
'Mn, I guess so. I'm still waking up for lack of a better term, you didn't burn down the house or some shit while I was gone, right?'
I'm not that bad, everything's going just fine. He mumbles something inaudible before sighing, a tired sounding one at that.
'You're a fucking idiot, you know that?'
What the hell are you pissy about this time? Is this about the whole dream thing?
'Yes you absolute fucking dunce! Fuck, I'm too tired to yell at you, did you find out anything important?'
Are you still angry about that? You sound angry. The bastard hisses inside my mind, the sound echoing in my ears, it doesn't stop my lips from twitching upwards into a grin though, and my snickers a hard one to push down. I crack my eyes open to check on the girl once again, just in case. She's still leaning onto the rail, her hidden tail still wagging underneath the cloth, and I can see the very edge of her smile. Alright, let's get into this shit then, it's a bit of a long story.
And so I explain the little nightmare to him, as best I can anyways, from the monsters to what I found out about that place. It certainly feels like it takes a while, makes sense given how long I was in there, and what happened. The ghost's silent for a while, not even a peep coming from him. I uh, I assume he's processing it all, or just thinking.
'What the fuck?'
Not quite the reply I was expecting, but I guess it's appropriate enough.
'I, shit, I don't really know what to think of this.'
Trust me, I know the feeling. I let out a small sigh and flick my eyes open for a moment to look over her, she's standing there, still enjoying the rain. I don't know why I feel the urge to keep checking up on her, but I do so anyways. It brings some peace to my heart, to see her so happy and carefree, even for a moment before closing my eyes again.
'Gross, you sappy bastard. I'll need more time to think of something on what to do with all this, did you at least find out how to fix our little issue?'
I hum to myself, pursing my lips together, fingers drumming against my chest.
'Zeke please tell me you found out something that helps us.'
Not exactly, I think it's just something we'll have to deal with for now. The thought of battle doesn't unnerve me at least, but time will tell. We'll just have to be prepared for it, if it ever comes up again. He's silent for a moment, though I can still feel him writhe inside my head.
'...hey, Zeke?'
Yeah? What's up?
'Do you think it's a good idea to keep trying to regain your memories? I might've pushed for it before, but it's getting more than a bit dodgy. I don't think that the potential risk is worth the possible cost, it's only going to get worse.'
I know, but it's a risk I'm willing to take. I need to know something at least, all this, this feels important to try to remember, it's a gut feeling I have.
'That reasoning doesn't inspire much confidence in me, you know that right? There's not much stock to put into a gut feeling of all things.'
I'm aware. Wasn't it your idea for me to jump in deeper anyways?
'It was just an idea you fuck- you're just fucking with me now, aren't you? '
I don't answer, though I can imagine that he can feel me smirking, even if he can't see it.
'Deh. It's a very you answer though, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.'
And what's that meant to mean, huh? His wispy sounding snickering is his answer, his presence within disappearing. I push myself off of the wall and waltz over to the girl, planting my hand atop her head, looking up into the sky. Rays of the sun shine through a break in the clouds, the only remnants of the rain being a soft shower that lingers despite it, and the watery mess that's left around us.
"Seems like the rains over, kid." I comment, bringing my sight down to her. She huffs and pouts, her ears twitching, tail still swinging underneath the cloth.
"Aw…" She sounds so disappointed, her pout deepening as she nudges her head into my hand, turning to look up to me.
"It'll come again some day, and I'll be sure you'll see it."
"Really?"
"Without a doubt." I finish with a determined nod, a small smile creeping u p on my face. A happy sounding giggling comes from the girl as she pushes herself further into my hand, a bright happiness dancing behind her eyes. It warms my heart to see it, it's a far better sight than what came before. A rumbling sound disturbs the silence, an eyebrow of mine raising as I stare down to the girl. "Sounds like you're a bit hungry, kid. I'm not a cook, but I probably have some food in my bag if you want it."
She doesn't respond verbally, her flushed face nodding and rubbing into my hand, an awkward little smile on her face. I ruffle her hair and turn back, turning away and pushing our way in. The door clicks shut behind me, the kid already barging ahead herself, hurried but light steps power walking throught the room into mine- well, it's more so ours at this point isn't it? I guess she might be more than a bit hungry, I'll have to get some more when I'm next in town, I'm glad that I don't need to eat that much.
I finally step through the door into our room, the girl waiting patiently on the bed, legs dangling off of the edge with my cloak laying beside her. Very hungry indeed.
I walk over and kneel beside the bag and rummage through it, surely I have some food in here still, right? I purse my lips together, pausing for a moment as my fingers brush against leather, curling my fingers around it and yanking it out. I hum to myself as I look over the book, an odd feeling stirring in my chest. I forgot that I had this journal, honestly, it's been a while since I've looked at it. Maybe I should look at it some time again, I did try to write in human at one point, didn't I?
I shake my head and shove the book back into its jail, I can deal with it later, I need food now. My fingers finally curl around what feels like scraps of paper, gripping it and dragging that out instead. It's a small bundle of something, probably meat of some kind, it doesn't have that much heft to it, so I hope it's enough.
"Here you go kid." I dig a claw into the paper covering and drag it down, scratching it open before turning around, leaning over to hand it to her. She tears it from my grasp and sticks her face into the bag, mashing her face into it before coming back up, sticks of dried meat hanging from her lips. She pauses for a moment, her cheeks turning pink before reaching into the meat packet.
"Want shum?" She offers with a muffled voice, the pink on her cheeks darkening before swallowing down her food. Good god she's gonna give me a heart attack someday.
"It's all yours, kid." I respond with the nudge of my head and a smile, sitting down on the floor and resting against the walls. She pauses for a moment, as if thinking to herself before diving back into her meal, ravenously tearing into it with a savage gnawing that fills the room. I feel as if I should feel unnerved about seeing her scoff it all down, but I can't help but think it's adorable.
I'm glad she's eating though, she looks a lot healthier than a while ago. This does mean that I gotta get more food though, I'll probably get some while in town again. Do different types of meat give different nutritional benefits to a keidran or something, or does it all end up filling the same purpose? I got money, so I can probably buy better things than fucking jerky.
Knocking disrupts the relative peace, my ears standing upright as I look to the door. Was Anna expecting someone, or is this a surprise visitor?
"I'll check it out, eat as much as you want, you can go through my bag if you want to." I say to the kid as I stand upright, quickly ruffling her hair before marching out of our room. I reach the front door quick enough with long strides, fist curling around the handle and pulling it open, peaking my eye through the crack.
"Eh? Edward?" I say aloud, blinking in surprise. The clothes he's wearing are damp ones, likely from the rain, remnants of water droplets clinging to the shield that he holds onto tightly, mud staining and clinging to small bits of his boots. It looks as if he's tried to fling what mess he could off of them.
"Told you I'd come, didn't I?" He responds with a scoff, lips curling up into a half smirk with a teasing twinkle in his eyes. "Are you that surprised, Fuzz?"
"Well, it was raining pretty hard." I genuinely didn't expect him to do it. Seeing as he isn't completely soaked, I assume he only started to walk when it was drizzling.
"I've walked through worse. Am I allowed to come in, or?"
"Oh!" An awkward smile claws its way onto my face as I step back, swinging the door open to let the man in. I can hear him shuffle about a bit outside, something heavy clunking against the wood outside before he steps through bare handed. "Sorry about that."
"It's alright, sorry for not giving you a heads up, but I wanted to check up on you." He says with a few rolls of his shoulder, that half smirk still staining his face. I can't help but roll my eyes, closing the door shut with a click.
"I'm flattered, take a seat and we'll chat, do you need anything?"
"I wouldn't want to impose, I just want to talk a bit is all." He responds as he waltzes over to the table, taking a seat. I follow suit not too long after, my fingers drumming against the wooden table. There's a gentle looking smile on the man's face, surprisingly enough, though he stares at me with a squinting stare. "You look a lot better already."
"Eh? I do?" I don't feel as torn as before, but I'm surprised that there'd be a difference in how I look. Maybe it's just something that he sees himself, though.
"Yeah, a little bit less confused. No more than usual anyways." I pout and stick out my tongue at the insult, the bastard snickering under his breath.
"Love you too, prick. I uh, don't think that Anna knows you're here by the way, I don't think that she'd mind though."
"That's probably not going to be an issue, I'm not going to be here very long." He says with a cough, lips pursed into a thin line. I raise an eyebrow, something about his tone seems a little off, not to mention his body tone.
"I assume that it's work related, then?"
"Mhm, sorry about that, I just wanted to check up on you." He says with a nod, although he does look apologetic despite it. I hum to myself, staring at the man with a squinting stare of my own.
"I'll come with you, then. I have things I wanna get in town, so why not?" He seems surprised by that, the man blinking for a few moments.
"I won't stop you, but I am surprised. Sorry, I'm not really good at this, but I want to try to do things with you, outside of guard related things." He finally responds after a while, hand still rubbing the back of his neck, awkward smile still on his face. I can't help but feel really warm on the inside. He's trying really hard, isn't he? Maybe I'm looking into it too much, but it certainly feels that way.
"You know, I'd like that."
I like the look of his more laidback smile, it suits him.