Sam allowed the touch on his shoulder but was clearly uncomfortable with it, not sure what to do with pity. He had probably deserved the attack from the Old Gods anyway for daring to bother them with his Ascended problems.
"Oh. N-no. I'll..if I need to, I can. Work it out." He reassured Jigano, finding the idea of a forced introduction much worse than anything he could do himself with Amalia. At least if they just stayed quiet and civil, it was equal. If she found out he'd told Jigano to get them closer...it was a social maze he didn't know how to navigate.
He could do nothing but shrug and look lost at the question of the Gods. He had never been a theologian, content to let the mysteries of the heavens spin on above without him. Sam hated that he even had to regularly see a God at all in the form of the Voice.
He noticed how Jigano's face fell at the notion of his upgrade, but couldn't think why. Was his friend not happy for him? He knew Jigano had wanted him to accept himself, but this was an easier way to do that. It was a way to love himself while still having what he wanted. That Jigano's distaste could be to do with Remi did not cross his mind. "He made a b-band. For my wrist. It lets me feel."
Sam held out his wrist for Jigano to see, though there was only the barest of ridges around the band's edge, the upgrade nearly entirely blended into his skin. "He..He made Isla give it to me and I thought..I th-thought she'd made it at first. But no. It was Remi. I can feel everything, Jig-Jigano. Cold and hot and I can taste things and smell them too." With a voice not unlike an excited child he continued to describe his newfound joys: "Did you know te-tea was so varied? And..and flowers all smell d-different! And the snow has a smell!"
Suddenly he looked down to the ground and smiled down at his boots, looking like if he could blush he would. "...And...and m-me and Remi are getting closer. I found out he made it...on our d-date."
"Oh. N-no. I'll..if I need to, I can. Work it out." He reassured Jigano, finding the idea of a forced introduction much worse than anything he could do himself with Amalia. At least if they just stayed quiet and civil, it was equal. If she found out he'd told Jigano to get them closer...it was a social maze he didn't know how to navigate.
He could do nothing but shrug and look lost at the question of the Gods. He had never been a theologian, content to let the mysteries of the heavens spin on above without him. Sam hated that he even had to regularly see a God at all in the form of the Voice.
He noticed how Jigano's face fell at the notion of his upgrade, but couldn't think why. Was his friend not happy for him? He knew Jigano had wanted him to accept himself, but this was an easier way to do that. It was a way to love himself while still having what he wanted. That Jigano's distaste could be to do with Remi did not cross his mind. "He made a b-band. For my wrist. It lets me feel."
Sam held out his wrist for Jigano to see, though there was only the barest of ridges around the band's edge, the upgrade nearly entirely blended into his skin. "He..He made Isla give it to me and I thought..I th-thought she'd made it at first. But no. It was Remi. I can feel everything, Jig-Jigano. Cold and hot and I can taste things and smell them too." With a voice not unlike an excited child he continued to describe his newfound joys: "Did you know te-tea was so varied? And..and flowers all smell d-different! And the snow has a smell!"
Suddenly he looked down to the ground and smiled down at his boots, looking like if he could blush he would. "...And...and m-me and Remi are getting closer. I found out he made it...on our d-date."
