Courage is not simply one of the virtues,
She lit up at the flavors, drawing laughter from his chest at the bug-eyed wonder she wore. Similarly unhesitating in his acceptance of her offer, he scooped a bite from her bowl as he freely admitted, "I'm glad you suggested it. I like hanging out with you. It's easy." Especially without the burden of leadership, Zavien could feel the complete lack of stress when talking to her. It didn't eliminate the untethered sense of destiny he carried, but her genuine nature seemed to ground him in the moment, pulling at the desire to just exist in the moment.
The splash of flavor across his tongue had his head falling back, golden hair catching the sunlight as he sighed like a man drinking water in a desert. The orange was a ray of fresh light onto wooden floorboards, warm and bright and inviting in all the ways that made him want to melt into it. His shoulders sagged, heavy with approval as he said, "Wow. These are good together." And even if Soh tried to refuse him, Zavien would snag another scoop of her ice cream through feints and tactile manipulation before freely offering his own with a cheeky grin.
Not really caring about Flora or their disagreement right now, Zavien shrugged his bare shoulders and looked playfully down at Soh. "Just because I don't live there doesn't mean I didn't plan to visit," he paused to raise a teasing brow her way before adding, "but at least now I have another excuse." Especially if the ice cream was as good as she claimed.
Zavien listened attentively to her dreams, nodding where appropriate and imagining all the different places Soh might end up. And when she leaned in close like there was a secret to share, he followed suit, slowing so he could hear her words over the scrape of their feet. The admission brightened in his eyes, having felt exactly the same way ever since he'd left Stormbreak. He looked around in a manner that was dramatically suspicious before letting his voice drop softly to share his own secret: "Me either."
Flashing her a knowing look, he straightened and turned his eyes ahead again, spotting his house a few doors down. "Maybe the right place will just suddenly appear." Optimism painted his features in light, his smile encouraging as he added, "At least you don't need to rush finding it." They had all the time in the world to figure it out.
Finally, he stopped, standing proud to admire the house in front of them. "Here's my place! It's not much, but it's better than what I had in Stormbreak." He threw her a beaming grin without a hint of remorse. She might have seen Lena's place where he'd occasionally stayed, but Soh hadn't seen the ramshackle townhouse he'd lived in, with all its charming leaks and musty smells. It hadn't been anything fancy (or cozy), but he'd called it home.
The small house where he opened the door for her felt more like a tiny cottage. The people had spared no expense to find him a place to live, offering the warm yellow structure that practically glowed with sunlight, a beacon for the Breakers who might still seek him out. Despite being attached on both sides, the two-story building felt charming, like they'd stumbled upon it in the middle of the woods, standing alone in its welcoming nature. And when she stepped, Soh would find a sparse gathering of simple furniture. It was obvious that others had shared beloved pieces of their homes, from chipped woods to fading fabrics, they had a warmth to them. Sunlight flowed in from the open windows, painting the kitchen and living room in a golden light that felt like the embrace of an open hug, inviting people to step inside.
And yet, those who knew Zavien would notice that there was little of him in the space. There weren't any trinkets decorating the counters or weapons hanging against the walls. There was barely anything of his visible in the house, like he was a visitor not daring to disrespect the gift others had given him.
The splash of flavor across his tongue had his head falling back, golden hair catching the sunlight as he sighed like a man drinking water in a desert. The orange was a ray of fresh light onto wooden floorboards, warm and bright and inviting in all the ways that made him want to melt into it. His shoulders sagged, heavy with approval as he said, "Wow. These are good together." And even if Soh tried to refuse him, Zavien would snag another scoop of her ice cream through feints and tactile manipulation before freely offering his own with a cheeky grin.
Not really caring about Flora or their disagreement right now, Zavien shrugged his bare shoulders and looked playfully down at Soh. "Just because I don't live there doesn't mean I didn't plan to visit," he paused to raise a teasing brow her way before adding, "but at least now I have another excuse." Especially if the ice cream was as good as she claimed.
Zavien listened attentively to her dreams, nodding where appropriate and imagining all the different places Soh might end up. And when she leaned in close like there was a secret to share, he followed suit, slowing so he could hear her words over the scrape of their feet. The admission brightened in his eyes, having felt exactly the same way ever since he'd left Stormbreak. He looked around in a manner that was dramatically suspicious before letting his voice drop softly to share his own secret: "Me either."
Flashing her a knowing look, he straightened and turned his eyes ahead again, spotting his house a few doors down. "Maybe the right place will just suddenly appear." Optimism painted his features in light, his smile encouraging as he added, "At least you don't need to rush finding it." They had all the time in the world to figure it out.
Finally, he stopped, standing proud to admire the house in front of them. "Here's my place! It's not much, but it's better than what I had in Stormbreak." He threw her a beaming grin without a hint of remorse. She might have seen Lena's place where he'd occasionally stayed, but Soh hadn't seen the ramshackle townhouse he'd lived in, with all its charming leaks and musty smells. It hadn't been anything fancy (or cozy), but he'd called it home.
The small house where he opened the door for her felt more like a tiny cottage. The people had spared no expense to find him a place to live, offering the warm yellow structure that practically glowed with sunlight, a beacon for the Breakers who might still seek him out. Despite being attached on both sides, the two-story building felt charming, like they'd stumbled upon it in the middle of the woods, standing alone in its welcoming nature. And when she stepped, Soh would find a sparse gathering of simple furniture. It was obvious that others had shared beloved pieces of their homes, from chipped woods to fading fabrics, they had a warmth to them. Sunlight flowed in from the open windows, painting the kitchen and living room in a golden light that felt like the embrace of an open hug, inviting people to step inside.
And yet, those who knew Zavien would notice that there was little of him in the space. There weren't any trinkets decorating the counters or weapons hanging against the walls. There was barely anything of his visible in the house, like he was a visitor not daring to disrespect the gift others had given him.
Zavien
but the form of every virtue at the testing point.
