"Oh? What's Long Night like in the Greatwood?" he asked curiously, then gave a wry grimace at her comment on trauma. "Let's not be hasty! Don't let this well-balanced facade fool you. I'm as traumatized as the rest of them, I'm just better at hiding it," he declared, giving Jiao a winsome smile as proof. "I try to be gloomy on my own time, not when I'm entertaining others. At least, I hope you're at least a little bit entertained?" he teased slyly.
He could only shrug at her opinion that many had not wanted to come. "I agree, that it was good for me, though it did take me a few seasons to realize it. Others, though... I can understand how hard it is to be separated from friends and family, people you love, with no way or hope of seeing them again. I said my goodbyes long before that portal found me, and in a way I suppose that makes me one of the lucky ones, here." Of course, he had brought his ghosts with him as well, so it wasn't as though he had arrived alone, either, as so many other Outlanders had.
He listened solemnly to her reasons for what she did, tilting his head thoughtfully until Isuma reclaimed his finger and he chuckled down at her. When he lifted his eyes to Jiao again his smile was easier, and a bit brighter once more. "Do you paint, as well? Or do you focus your art mostly on your fabrics and clothing?"
He could only shrug at her opinion that many had not wanted to come. "I agree, that it was good for me, though it did take me a few seasons to realize it. Others, though... I can understand how hard it is to be separated from friends and family, people you love, with no way or hope of seeing them again. I said my goodbyes long before that portal found me, and in a way I suppose that makes me one of the lucky ones, here." Of course, he had brought his ghosts with him as well, so it wasn't as though he had arrived alone, either, as so many other Outlanders had.
He listened solemnly to her reasons for what she did, tilting his head thoughtfully until Isuma reclaimed his finger and he chuckled down at her. When he lifted his eyes to Jiao again his smile was easier, and a bit brighter once more. "Do you paint, as well? Or do you focus your art mostly on your fabrics and clothing?"
