Harper
I thank whatever gods may be
for my unconquerable soul
Oliver may hesitate in touching him, but Harper has been trained to recognize even the subtlest movements of body language, and he is not so reticent about physical contact. When Oliver speaks, it is easy to reach forward and place his hand over the younger man's, to smile sincerely with the weight of his appreciation. Oliver's kindness is not something he has ever received, and even his mentor had been a stoic woman whose love was shown in actions, not words that come from the heart. "I'm grateful you found me, Oliver. And I'm glad that I'll continue to have you as I settle in. Thank you, truly. For your belief in me." Whether it's warranted is subjective, but it bolsters Harper regardless. Being alone is his greatest weakness, and to have already found someone to allay that fear is a stroke of fate that he is indebted to. The rest of Oliver's thoughts aren't clear to him, though his internal dilemma is faintly apparent. Harper kindly doesn't inquire, as Oliver has done for him in their time together. They may have fallen together like old friends within moments, but some secrets and thoughts are not to be shared so easily. "Philanthropy is a type of hobby I'd say," he assures. Helping others is no small feat after all.
Harper can't help how he laughs as an immediate memory comes to mind. "Well I can answer both in one story!" Leaning forward he grins brightly, already recalling the moment in his mind. "We had many exotic animals in our circus, and since I was born there I explored their cages quite frequently whenever I could slip away. They were all welcoming of a young child, and my parents once caught me curled up and sleeping with the tigers. They couldn't get me out for hours until I woke up! The tigress refused to let them near. And our elephants would babysit me too, and taught me how to walk while I held tight to their trunks." Blue eyes are bright with joy at the memory of both. They had raised him as fully as his parents and the other circus members. "I wouldn't be able to pick between tigers or elephants, but they're surely both my favorite." Harper would never show preference as a child, and even now couldn't choose. "You said you had some memory issues regarding your hobbies? Do you have a favorite animal you can recall?" Asking for his favorite memory may only distress him. But perhaps it would satisfy his curiosity over that offhand comment.
