He could not have predicted what Sam said next, lean form going rigid in shock. Jigano twisted to face his friend, hearing the tears verging in the bookmaker's voice and striding swiftly back to close the distance between them. Amalia, taking a life? Sam giving his up, now that he'd found a friends and family who loved him?
"Sam, Sam, what are you..." He broke off, shaking his head at an utter lack of words. The very thought of Sam dying drove a blade of ice through his heart and Jigano felt his hands clench as if to hold tightly to his friend's soul. As if by holding it close he could keep it from leaving.
Jigano drew in a shuddering breath, shocked anew at how deeply affected he was but not denying the emotion - the fear - that coursed through him as he reached out to squeeze Sam's shoulder. "What do you mean, you might die?" He forced his voice to remain steady, though he couldn't quite stop the frightened tremble at the end; a poor excuse for his years of training, but he didn't want to hide how badly he was affected by his friend's words. "What... sort of monster do you fear becoming?"
"Sam, Sam, what are you..." He broke off, shaking his head at an utter lack of words. The very thought of Sam dying drove a blade of ice through his heart and Jigano felt his hands clench as if to hold tightly to his friend's soul. As if by holding it close he could keep it from leaving.
Jigano drew in a shuddering breath, shocked anew at how deeply affected he was but not denying the emotion - the fear - that coursed through him as he reached out to squeeze Sam's shoulder. "What do you mean, you might die?" He forced his voice to remain steady, though he couldn't quite stop the frightened tremble at the end; a poor excuse for his years of training, but he didn't want to hide how badly he was affected by his friend's words. "What... sort of monster do you fear becoming?"
