"Your instincts weren't wrong," Jigano cautioned, though he was smiling at the compliment. "Caido is like any other world I have heard of. There are good people here, many better than I, but there are far worse, too. Two-legged predators as bad as anything you'll find outside the town." He tilted his head thoughtfully at Caiside, the comment reminding him of something he had taken weeks to learn, because no one had thought to tell him. "On your world, were there people - races - who were not human?"
Caiside's confidence bordered on arrogance, but Jigano simply poured them both another cup of tea from the pot and sipped the hot, fresh, aromatic drink with a slight smile. The other man didn't know or trust him enough to take his word for anything - which, really, was only wise. He would find out in his own way, just like every other outlander, how important a little luck could be in this place. Some lessons had to be learned the hard way for them to be learned at all.
The unexpectedly personal question raised a pale brow, but Jigano gave it due consideration, taking his time before replying. His gaze dropped to his cup, and the reflection of the dark liquid inside it, expression sobering. "My home? I haven't had a home for some years now. Most of my family and friends... died. A while ago. I have carried their memories with me, since, but I am a wanderer by nature. And there were no ties holding me to my world anymore. Coming here... shattered both curses and blessings. In many ways, it gave me a chance to start over. It hasn't been easy but... here, I have found a purpose again. And, perhaps, a measure of healing." Samuel, Isla, Edy, Vai, even Bastien and Remi... and Rory. He had been afraid of building friendships again, had only intended to be convivial and build networks he could use, but even scarred his heart was not so tough as that. Over the past few months people had threaded their way into his affections and worries again, and it was frightening how much he found he cared for some of them.
"And you?" he asked quietly, raising blue eyes to meet Caiside's gold. "What draws you back to your world so strongly that even the gods of this place could not keep you away from it?"
Caiside's confidence bordered on arrogance, but Jigano simply poured them both another cup of tea from the pot and sipped the hot, fresh, aromatic drink with a slight smile. The other man didn't know or trust him enough to take his word for anything - which, really, was only wise. He would find out in his own way, just like every other outlander, how important a little luck could be in this place. Some lessons had to be learned the hard way for them to be learned at all.
The unexpectedly personal question raised a pale brow, but Jigano gave it due consideration, taking his time before replying. His gaze dropped to his cup, and the reflection of the dark liquid inside it, expression sobering. "My home? I haven't had a home for some years now. Most of my family and friends... died. A while ago. I have carried their memories with me, since, but I am a wanderer by nature. And there were no ties holding me to my world anymore. Coming here... shattered both curses and blessings. In many ways, it gave me a chance to start over. It hasn't been easy but... here, I have found a purpose again. And, perhaps, a measure of healing." Samuel, Isla, Edy, Vai, even Bastien and Remi... and Rory. He had been afraid of building friendships again, had only intended to be convivial and build networks he could use, but even scarred his heart was not so tough as that. Over the past few months people had threaded their way into his affections and worries again, and it was frightening how much he found he cared for some of them.
"And you?" he asked quietly, raising blue eyes to meet Caiside's gold. "What draws you back to your world so strongly that even the gods of this place could not keep you away from it?"
