It took the courier a few moments to realize that Soh had gone still next to him. Not simply quiet, but frozen in place. His gaze traveled up her fishing line to the pole, and then back to her hands before finally rising to her face. He didn't know what he'd said to upset her - he thought he'd gotten better about putting his foot in his mouth, but maybe not - so instead he just let go of his pole with one hand in order to wrap it around his friend's shoulders and pull her into his side. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat, but before he could apologize she found her voice again, even if he could hear the tears in it.
"Hey, hey, it's okay. I dunno that he doesn't want t'be friends with y'again," he tried to assure her. "Hail, he might be just as confused as you are 'bout what he wants. An' it's not like it's too late t'ask 'im. Y'can always send 'im a letter an' give 'im time t'think things over?" He was half-babbling at that point, and finally managed to shut himself up with a click of his teeth. His pole was half-fallen from his other hand as he frantically focused on the definitely-not-crying friend beside him on the dock.
"Hey, hey, it's okay. I dunno that he doesn't want t'be friends with y'again," he tried to assure her. "Hail, he might be just as confused as you are 'bout what he wants. An' it's not like it's too late t'ask 'im. Y'can always send 'im a letter an' give 'im time t'think things over?" He was half-babbling at that point, and finally managed to shut himself up with a click of his teeth. His pole was half-fallen from his other hand as he frantically focused on the definitely-not-crying friend beside him on the dock.
