Sleeping under the stars had proven to be unpleasant in Deepfrost, even in Torchline. So, after being nagged out of the boarding house by a stocky landlord far too obsessed with material possessions, Nicos was on the streets again letting translucent rays warm his skin. His daemons were still asleep, it was just him in the morning light.
He followed his stomach to the market square. Snatching a papaya from the colorful stall of a blissfully unsuspecting merchant, Nicos casually strolled away... and towards the firling. Visiting the spiky evergreen had become a part of his morning routine. It was a source of joy. It didn't nag or demand payment. Argue or complain. It mainly giggled.
Crouching down in front of the tree, without paying much notice to anyone else, Nicos slipped out a knife from his boot and peeled the skin off his freshly caught papaya. He proceeded to feed them to the firling, depositing the peelings at its foot. As he carved out a piece of succulent fruit for himself he heard “Fuckin’ cute is what you are”, and raised his head in stunned curiosity.
Snapping out of his daze like a bear wakes from a deep winter sleep Nicos noticed the woman in front of him. She appeared to have perceptive eyes, he noted. "Thank you." A grin spread out from his lips to his eyes and a cheerfulness overcame him, radiating outwards at the tall, dark stranger. "I don't hear that often. Surprisingly."
He looked down at the piece of fruit stabbed at the end of his knife and extended it towards the objectively wise and generous stranger. "Papaya?"
Nicos
