Maea
Blood on my shirt, rose in my hand
Indeed, Liam was kind. Occasionally too much so, because his ready generosity and willingness to share all that he had was difficult to accept for one who had made it an artform to avoid debts. If the offer to feed her had made her emotional, this invitation to move in, however temporarily, had Maea reeling. She hid it well, busied herself with tending the fire and ensuring that it didn't spread past its borders, all the while searching desperately for a way to decline that wouldn't be offensive. Or hurtful.
"Mh, that is... very generous," she murmured, wishing it felt less like some kind of trap than it probably was. "I'll think on it... and see if there's room at the inn. For now, though, I mostly just want a change of clothes."
It would take a while for the pyre to burn down. The Ancient didn't speak much in that time, seeming lost in thought. Brooding came closer to the truth. By rights it shouldn't be a problem to accept Liam's kindness, because aside from the brief period of time they'd known each other she had absolutely no reason to doubt him or his intentions. It wasn't even really that; just a churning in her gut without a label or name that flared up occasionally, leaving her a bit light headed. Or maybe nauseous? Somewhere between paralyzed and about to run, though the reason why eluded her. Mainly, Maea just felt... bad. Like a bad friend and a bad person, who kept making everything so bloody complicated all the time.
Only when the debris had been reduced to white ash and doused with water did she declare herself ready to leave. Tying up her belongings in a small bundle wrapped up in a blanket - not even an armful, even with the sodden boots included - she picked it up by the knot and nodded for Liam to lead the way. "Are we headed for the Bodega?" she asked, upon turning her back on the sad sight of ashes driftig on the wind.
"Mh, that is... very generous," she murmured, wishing it felt less like some kind of trap than it probably was. "I'll think on it... and see if there's room at the inn. For now, though, I mostly just want a change of clothes."
It would take a while for the pyre to burn down. The Ancient didn't speak much in that time, seeming lost in thought. Brooding came closer to the truth. By rights it shouldn't be a problem to accept Liam's kindness, because aside from the brief period of time they'd known each other she had absolutely no reason to doubt him or his intentions. It wasn't even really that; just a churning in her gut without a label or name that flared up occasionally, leaving her a bit light headed. Or maybe nauseous? Somewhere between paralyzed and about to run, though the reason why eluded her. Mainly, Maea just felt... bad. Like a bad friend and a bad person, who kept making everything so bloody complicated all the time.
Only when the debris had been reduced to white ash and doused with water did she declare herself ready to leave. Tying up her belongings in a small bundle wrapped up in a blanket - not even an armful, even with the sodden boots included - she picked it up by the knot and nodded for Liam to lead the way. "Are we headed for the Bodega?" she asked, upon turning her back on the sad sight of ashes driftig on the wind.
You're looking at me like you don't know who I am
