Thalassa
As Asta steps inside, Thal gives a small nod of her head, voice flat with controlled disinterest. "You caught me right before a trip." Clothes and supplies scatter the room, making it appear messier than usual as she organizes the necessary chaos. The large chest hints at the voyage to come, an unsurprising amount of black fabric peeking from within, interspersed with the glint of silver blades.
Slipping her dagger into its sheath at her hip, the door clicks closed to muffle the storm outside, leaving them trapped with the one still brewing in her eyes. His words and soft smile should calm some of the tension, yet her arms come up to cross over her chest, buffering and protective as if she's preparing for a fight. "I got that part." It's not an acceptance or dismissal of the reasoning, just raw comprehension that does little to sooth her pain at having been so poorly received. Logically, she understands - gods know she's always on edge - but her heart doesn't run on logic, and it doesn't heal so quickly from wounds on her aready tender emotions.
Thal pauses at the offered box, scanning his face and the delicate wrapping like she's not sure if she wants it. But she takes it anyways, reluctantly pulling at the silky red ribbon in silence. She knows what it is the moment she glimpses the ivory, drawing in a slow breath as she looks over the intricate carvings that decorate the surface of each piece. It's more beautiful than she could have imagined and she can't help the awe and disbelief that laces her words. "You remembered."
Despite her best efforts, the gift softens her, overshadowing the ache with the reminder of how good a friend Asta is. She knows she's not angry at him. She knows it's her that's the problem, but Thal was never very good at admitting fault, and she prefers to cling to the guilt and pain than let it go. It's hard to decide if it feels better or worse than the nothingness that always threatens to devour her, but it's something, so she clenches her jaw against the onslaught and glances up at him briefly. "I'll make sure to hang it in the window of my cabin." Her fingers hover over the meticulous details again before she moves to place it in the chest, lingering in the distance that she's made.
Slipping her dagger into its sheath at her hip, the door clicks closed to muffle the storm outside, leaving them trapped with the one still brewing in her eyes. His words and soft smile should calm some of the tension, yet her arms come up to cross over her chest, buffering and protective as if she's preparing for a fight. "I got that part." It's not an acceptance or dismissal of the reasoning, just raw comprehension that does little to sooth her pain at having been so poorly received. Logically, she understands - gods know she's always on edge - but her heart doesn't run on logic, and it doesn't heal so quickly from wounds on her aready tender emotions.
Thal pauses at the offered box, scanning his face and the delicate wrapping like she's not sure if she wants it. But she takes it anyways, reluctantly pulling at the silky red ribbon in silence. She knows what it is the moment she glimpses the ivory, drawing in a slow breath as she looks over the intricate carvings that decorate the surface of each piece. It's more beautiful than she could have imagined and she can't help the awe and disbelief that laces her words. "You remembered."
Despite her best efforts, the gift softens her, overshadowing the ache with the reminder of how good a friend Asta is. She knows she's not angry at him. She knows it's her that's the problem, but Thal was never very good at admitting fault, and she prefers to cling to the guilt and pain than let it go. It's hard to decide if it feels better or worse than the nothingness that always threatens to devour her, but it's something, so she clenches her jaw against the onslaught and glances up at him briefly. "I'll make sure to hang it in the window of my cabin." Her fingers hover over the meticulous details again before she moves to place it in the chest, lingering in the distance that she's made.
Don't ask questions you don't wanna know
Learned my lesson way too long ago
Learned my lesson way too long ago
