Oblivious to his verbal misstep, Tal gave his friend a look of mock-horror at her revelation, followed by a theatrical shudder. "Frey save us from a teenage Valkyrie," he beseeched the sky - then immediately snuck a shit-eating grin back at Hotaru as they leaned together companionably in the water.
Her suggestion was met with a snort of wry humor followed by a short laugh of resignation. "Everyone's got th'same advice on it, so you're all prob'ly right," he admitted, trailing his fingers through the water beside him. "I've got a lead on a mebbe-'prentice next season..." He grimaced, heaving a sigh. "If we can work t'gether. But, Ru... he's just so nice I dunno what t'do with 'im!" Compared to rough-around-the-edges, see-how-many-feet-I-can-fit-in-my-mouth Tal, Jude was pretty much a saint, and the courier's plaintive admission came with a vaguely hang-dog look as he scowled down at the water between his legs.
The conversation on knives was a relief and Tal threw himself into it whole-heartedly - especially when it involved a little praise from his bestie. "So how would you suggest someone like me fightin' someone like you?" he asked slyly, and definitely not with future spars in mind.
Her suggestion was met with a snort of wry humor followed by a short laugh of resignation. "Everyone's got th'same advice on it, so you're all prob'ly right," he admitted, trailing his fingers through the water beside him. "I've got a lead on a mebbe-'prentice next season..." He grimaced, heaving a sigh. "If we can work t'gether. But, Ru... he's just so nice I dunno what t'do with 'im!" Compared to rough-around-the-edges, see-how-many-feet-I-can-fit-in-my-mouth Tal, Jude was pretty much a saint, and the courier's plaintive admission came with a vaguely hang-dog look as he scowled down at the water between his legs.
The conversation on knives was a relief and Tal threw himself into it whole-heartedly - especially when it involved a little praise from his bestie. "So how would you suggest someone like me fightin' someone like you?" he asked slyly, and definitely not with future spars in mind.
