At least he wasn't the only one who had a healthy fear of a younger version of Ru - even more fearless, ferocious, and merciless in her teasing, Tal was certain! The current version, worldly-wise and tempered like fine steel by experience, was already more than he could handle.
Her laugh lightened his scowl in spite of himself, easing something that had held tight in his chest since the first night he'd held her in the dark. The pain might never leave her entirely, but joy was starting to grow through the cracks again and the sun was finding its way back into her smile. He snorted, rueful but far softer than he might have otherwise, and slanted a wry look at his friend. "Guess there's truth t'that. Well, I'll give 'im a shot an' see how he does." Who knew? Maybe the kid was stronger than he'd seemed that night at the Observatory. And if not, well... Hotaru had struck to the heart of the matter, as always.
Well... mostly. She deflected his own sly query and he mock-scowled at her in disappointment. "You? Th'day you lose your edge, they'll be puttin' you on th'pyre," he scoffed, pushing himself suddenly to his feet in a splash of water. He turned to offer the lady a hand up, scowl melting into a grin like snow in the desert sun. "C'mon, let's grab some plants for th'Greenhouse an' head back. Boreal's waitin' for us!"
~Fin~
Her laugh lightened his scowl in spite of himself, easing something that had held tight in his chest since the first night he'd held her in the dark. The pain might never leave her entirely, but joy was starting to grow through the cracks again and the sun was finding its way back into her smile. He snorted, rueful but far softer than he might have otherwise, and slanted a wry look at his friend. "Guess there's truth t'that. Well, I'll give 'im a shot an' see how he does." Who knew? Maybe the kid was stronger than he'd seemed that night at the Observatory. And if not, well... Hotaru had struck to the heart of the matter, as always.
Well... mostly. She deflected his own sly query and he mock-scowled at her in disappointment. "You? Th'day you lose your edge, they'll be puttin' you on th'pyre," he scoffed, pushing himself suddenly to his feet in a splash of water. He turned to offer the lady a hand up, scowl melting into a grin like snow in the desert sun. "C'mon, let's grab some plants for th'Greenhouse an' head back. Boreal's waitin' for us!"
~Fin~
