AINO
It was her turn to raise a brow when her question had the young man backing offer liked he'd been burned. Any other time she might have shrugged and allowed him to keep the misunderstanding, but the shift was so sudden that it felt plain wrong.
"No offense was intended, youngling," Aino called after his back, her tone softening. "It was a question, not a dismissal." She hesitated, chewing on the inside of her cheek, then added, "I don't do so well with sympathy. You touched a nerve, is all." It was the same reflex that turned worry or grief into anger; a thorny layer of defense to prevent nosy gossip and ensure that only those who truly cared stayed to listen.
"No offense was intended, youngling," Aino called after his back, her tone softening. "It was a question, not a dismissal." She hesitated, chewing on the inside of her cheek, then added, "I don't do so well with sympathy. You touched a nerve, is all." It was the same reflex that turned worry or grief into anger; a thorny layer of defense to prevent nosy gossip and ensure that only those who truly cared stayed to listen.
For the good times that we share,
and the bad times that we'll have
and the bad times that we'll have
