His first thought had been that Sam was stuttering from emotion; fear or sadness that had brought the stumbling utterances he had one struggled back temporarily while he was overwhelmed. Jigano was relieved when the bookmaker accepted his offered touch, some of the tension leaving his worried expression as Sam smiled and returned the light reassurance. He wasn't sure what he'd be happy about that had seemingly upset his friend so much, but he tilted his head to listen quietly, letting Sam take his time and find his words on his own.
The revelation, when it came, was nothing he had expected, and he drew in a sharp and almost painful breath in shock. Wide blue eyes met blue-green, focusing fully on the red-haired Natural as the bard stilled. The breath remained held, trapped within for long moments as he processed what Sam said, and then he was rising and reaching out to try and pull Sam into an awkward but gentle embrace.
"Your courage humbles me," he said quietly, heart unexpectedly racing at the wonder of the news. "I am proud to call you friend, Samuel Wordsworth. I was before, but now... now more than ever. There are very few who can stand up to a god. How did you come to this decision?" For it could not have been easy, not with how staunchly Sam had been the Voice's loyal defender for so long.
The revelation, when it came, was nothing he had expected, and he drew in a sharp and almost painful breath in shock. Wide blue eyes met blue-green, focusing fully on the red-haired Natural as the bard stilled. The breath remained held, trapped within for long moments as he processed what Sam said, and then he was rising and reaching out to try and pull Sam into an awkward but gentle embrace.
"Your courage humbles me," he said quietly, heart unexpectedly racing at the wonder of the news. "I am proud to call you friend, Samuel Wordsworth. I was before, but now... now more than ever. There are very few who can stand up to a god. How did you come to this decision?" For it could not have been easy, not with how staunchly Sam had been the Voice's loyal defender for so long.
