Jigano watched the thoughts flicker behind Remi's eyes, his open expression moving from distracted thought to fear as the bard's words sank in. It wasn't kind, what he'd done... but it was't done with malice, either. The boy had been reacting, not thinking, and it was the lorekeeper's business to see that people thought.
And, ideally, didn't make the same mistakes again.
"A thousand others?" he asked, tone a bit dry at the unconscious resignation in the other man's voice. "It sounds like you've a bad habit of letting yourself get taken advantage of." Perhaps these new gods were predators, of a sort? The kind that smelled weakness and worked to separate an injured soul from the flock... well. Ludo, at least, with his twice-over attempts to coax the pup to his death.
And what did that mean for the once-Kitsune?
He let the silence fall between them after having his say, giving Remi time to breathe, and to think. That was what the bard wanted, after all, and when the young man raised his gaze again--
"Yes, good! That's the question to keep in mind, even if you don't ask it out loud." Jigano found his anger at the gods - and at Remi's lack of respect for himself - fading at the unexpected progress, tension easing from the corners of his eyes, mouth relaxing almost towards a smile. "And let me pose another: if I say 'no, of course not' -- do you believe me without question?" He sighed, glancing ruefully down at his book, which was barely being read. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying go through life paranoid and trusting no one. But a little caution? A little wariness? Those, in moderation, yes. Make people earn your trust, lad. It'll be more precious to both of you for it."
Even if, in the end, it made it that much easier to betray.
And, ideally, didn't make the same mistakes again.
"A thousand others?" he asked, tone a bit dry at the unconscious resignation in the other man's voice. "It sounds like you've a bad habit of letting yourself get taken advantage of." Perhaps these new gods were predators, of a sort? The kind that smelled weakness and worked to separate an injured soul from the flock... well. Ludo, at least, with his twice-over attempts to coax the pup to his death.
And what did that mean for the once-Kitsune?
He let the silence fall between them after having his say, giving Remi time to breathe, and to think. That was what the bard wanted, after all, and when the young man raised his gaze again--
"Yes, good! That's the question to keep in mind, even if you don't ask it out loud." Jigano found his anger at the gods - and at Remi's lack of respect for himself - fading at the unexpected progress, tension easing from the corners of his eyes, mouth relaxing almost towards a smile. "And let me pose another: if I say 'no, of course not' -- do you believe me without question?" He sighed, glancing ruefully down at his book, which was barely being read. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying go through life paranoid and trusting no one. But a little caution? A little wariness? Those, in moderation, yes. Make people earn your trust, lad. It'll be more precious to both of you for it."
Even if, in the end, it made it that much easier to betray.
