Alys wasn't half as fortunate as Tal was, to have found a partner like her who stuck with him through thick and thin. She made him want to be better than he was, and she steadied his heart and mind in a way few others ever had. Just thinking about her made his heart beat a little faster and warmth threaten to spread from his chest to his neck and face. For her and her alone he was willing to be a sappy mess of a romantic, and he cleared his throat self-consciously after the apprentice had scampered off with his drawings and materials.
"Thanks, Soh," he murmured gruffly, unable to hide how pleased he was at her compliments even though he was trying to. The tilt of his chin was just a little too proud, and he couldn't quite keep the smile wholly off his face even if he was deliberately avoiding looking at her while he tried to get his expression back under control. "I can't believe it, either. Th'time has really flown by, y'know?" Of course, he'd asked her to be his partner practically on the eve of Starfall itself so there had been a lot going on in the world to keep them busy in the seasons since, but still... two years was enough to make his head spin some days.
He thought he heard something on the stairs. A breath of wind, or a soft footstep behind them. There was... something. A weird noise that had him gritting his teeth as Boreal shook herself with a sudden growl, pawing at the side of her head. But when he looked over his shoulder there was no one else behind them.
...Huh. Weird.
Shaking off the premonition, he tried to turn the conversation back on the Luminary instead, spotting a display case with finished pieces and hurriedly stepping over to it. He beckoned his friend over so they could peruse the options. "So, uh. Flora. Yeah. What're y'thinkin' of gettin' for her? A pin or a bracelet or...?"
"Thanks, Soh," he murmured gruffly, unable to hide how pleased he was at her compliments even though he was trying to. The tilt of his chin was just a little too proud, and he couldn't quite keep the smile wholly off his face even if he was deliberately avoiding looking at her while he tried to get his expression back under control. "I can't believe it, either. Th'time has really flown by, y'know?" Of course, he'd asked her to be his partner practically on the eve of Starfall itself so there had been a lot going on in the world to keep them busy in the seasons since, but still... two years was enough to make his head spin some days.
He thought he heard something on the stairs. A breath of wind, or a soft footstep behind them. There was... something. A weird noise that had him gritting his teeth as Boreal shook herself with a sudden growl, pawing at the side of her head. But when he looked over his shoulder there was no one else behind them.
...Huh. Weird.
Shaking off the premonition, he tried to turn the conversation back on the Luminary instead, spotting a display case with finished pieces and hurriedly stepping over to it. He beckoned his friend over so they could peruse the options. "So, uh. Flora. Yeah. What're y'thinkin' of gettin' for her? A pin or a bracelet or...?"
