Jude's murmured observation didn't seem to really need a response, so Tal just nodded - and then winced, regretting it - and kept his eyes on the sky as the talk turned to life choices and careers. Education on Caido could be so hit or miss that he had no idea where on the spectrum the kid fell, but he certainly looked old enough to be almost done with it.
And then came The Question. The courier's hands tensed beneath his head, his stomach tightening as he swallowed hard. Sure, he'd kind of expected it when he saw the direction the conversation was going, but there'd always been the chance that he was jumping to conclusions. It was something he had a lot of practice at, after all.
"...Um," he began, with his usual tact and charm. "I... uh. Funny story..." He remembered Ronin's advice, and Alys's divination, and his own floundering under so much work in these times of peace and increased travel thanks to the skyship network... "...Maybe?" He exhaled heavily as Boreal let out a sleepy, smoky chortle between them, amused at her human's conflict. "I mean, not 'til y'finish your schoolin', for sure," Tal hastened to qualify. He bit his lip, chewing it uncertainly as the gruff note remained in his voice. At least he managed not to squirm, using the ache in his head to remind himself to stay still. "An' y'might change your mind. Y'don't even know me. Y'might decide y'hate me after a few days aboard the Peregrine." Certainly plenty of other people found his awkward bluster to be grating at best. "But if - if - we work well together... I mean... I am lookin' for a 'prentice so... It's a definite maybe."
And then came The Question. The courier's hands tensed beneath his head, his stomach tightening as he swallowed hard. Sure, he'd kind of expected it when he saw the direction the conversation was going, but there'd always been the chance that he was jumping to conclusions. It was something he had a lot of practice at, after all.
"...Um," he began, with his usual tact and charm. "I... uh. Funny story..." He remembered Ronin's advice, and Alys's divination, and his own floundering under so much work in these times of peace and increased travel thanks to the skyship network... "...Maybe?" He exhaled heavily as Boreal let out a sleepy, smoky chortle between them, amused at her human's conflict. "I mean, not 'til y'finish your schoolin', for sure," Tal hastened to qualify. He bit his lip, chewing it uncertainly as the gruff note remained in his voice. At least he managed not to squirm, using the ache in his head to remind himself to stay still. "An' y'might change your mind. Y'don't even know me. Y'might decide y'hate me after a few days aboard the Peregrine." Certainly plenty of other people found his awkward bluster to be grating at best. "But if - if - we work well together... I mean... I am lookin' for a 'prentice so... It's a definite maybe."
