Reading is fundamental (OPEN)

R E M I The dryness of Jigano's tone grated against the alchemist in a way he found hard to describe. Normally so complacent and congenial Remi found himself agitated by the accusations that felt writ into the subtext of the bard's words. Remi was no scholar and no wordsmith as those he (rather annoyingly) always seemed to surround himself with, but as he gazed at Jigano with a sort of desperate and wounded gaze, he found his mind straining to try and parse the difference between being the idiot that the silver-haired man was painting him as, and simply being kind. Yes he often found himself in danger, but it had only ever arrived out of a search for knowledge or to protect and help those he loved. He wasn't stupid, he just cared enough about everyone else to always put them first, no matter the cost. Smiling gently, the dimples in Remi's cheeks deepening as he pressed his lips together, the alchemist shrugged slightly. "Perhaps." The alchemist allowed, his voice subdued. —do you believe me without question? Rather sadly, Remi tilted his head, wanting to nod yes. This felt like a trap, and yet the young alchemist wanted to walk towards it and into it, if only to show the older man that not everyone was quite so jaded. Remi was not naive by any means, nor had he had a particularly easy life. And yet he would, of course he would. Twisting his lips into a sideways smile, it was Remi's turn to look upon the bard with an expression of sad objection. Make people earn your trust. "Perhaps." Remi repeated. Far too compliant and obedient was Remi to simply outright disagree, and he knew enough and was not prideful in the least to think or need or want to try and convince Jigano the error of his ways or perhaps that Remi's way of thinking was correct. Instead, he simply acknowledged the wisdom of the white-haired man, but still hedged towards optimism and hope. Glancing down at the book before Jigano, Remi offered him a small smile. "You came to read. My apologies. Please, I will not interrupt you anymore." Rising, Remi bowed over the table, a no-longer-cuffed hand placed over his heart as his curly head dipped forward. While it was true that this place did not have the social hierarchy of Northaven, it was not without any hierarchy, of which the alchemist was surely near the bottom. "A pleasure to meet you, Jigano. Enjoy your evening." Remi said politely as he gathered up his books.