"Well, yes," he agreed, pulling his actor's mask of respectability back into place with a determined effort, even though he was in danger of pulling a muscle from holding back his laughter. "I really should play my flute for you, sometime. Now that I know what a music-lover you are, I'm sure you can appreciate the tricky fingering better than most would." Oh, gods most fortunate, he had missed bantering like this. He could forgive the wild child a multitude of sins for making him laugh so hard, though he was letting himself get distracted from his task.
"Ah well, I don't blame them for finding someone that makes them happy," he temporized, still grinning. "Better to have fun and find pleasure in each other while the winter snows cover the ground. Unless you have a better idea for keeping warm - aside from your formidable fire, that is!" He turned back to tip her a grin and caught the tightening of her expression. The bard paused in his teasing, some of his humor falling away in concern, though Edy didn't seem ready or willing to talk about what had caused that tension. A romance gone bad? An ex who had broken her heart? Not that she'd ever admit to such a thing, he thought ruefully, but it would explain some of her wariness towards others.
The conversation turned more sobering after that, especially for Jigano as his lack of magic was brought up and lingered over. He offered a wistful shrug at her comment, agreeing whole-heartedly. It was a shitty deal, but... it could have been worse. Bobi provided a welcome distraction to them both for a moment, and he found his lips quirking into a small grin as the rock clattered back to the ground, the kitten managing an impressive haughteur for his size.
Jigano's steps slowed as he thought he saw something promising. Most of the building's walls were only a few feet tall now, but two were over head height, with a corner of roof surviving between them, but most importantly there was a nearly-intact chimney, broader and thicker than a home would need. It could be a baker's oven... but the shape was reminiscent of the forge he'd seen in the old smith's workshop, though much larger. Still, he glanced behind with a brow raised in surprise at the harshness of Edy's former world, even though he'd heard some of it before. The retelling didn't make it any less pleasant to hear, and it must have been far worse to live. Which made her almost abrupt compassion at the end - rough-edged though it was - even more surprising. And welcome, Jigano finding an honest smile for his young friend. "Nothing is like how it was before, for any of us. I suppose that makes it a little easier, in some ways. There's always someone who has it worse than us." Not, perhaps, the most charitable sentiment, but sometimes a little selfishness was healthy.
He stepped through what might have once been a door, or was maybe just a particularly damaged part of the foundation, finding the snow a little shallower the further into the building he walked as the taller walls had blocked the drifting snow. There was stone underneath his feet, it felt like, so he retraced his steps and nodded at his friend with a wry smile. "Speaking of fire, though, would you be kind enough to melt that mess in there so we can get a better look at what we've got here?"
"Ah well, I don't blame them for finding someone that makes them happy," he temporized, still grinning. "Better to have fun and find pleasure in each other while the winter snows cover the ground. Unless you have a better idea for keeping warm - aside from your formidable fire, that is!" He turned back to tip her a grin and caught the tightening of her expression. The bard paused in his teasing, some of his humor falling away in concern, though Edy didn't seem ready or willing to talk about what had caused that tension. A romance gone bad? An ex who had broken her heart? Not that she'd ever admit to such a thing, he thought ruefully, but it would explain some of her wariness towards others.
The conversation turned more sobering after that, especially for Jigano as his lack of magic was brought up and lingered over. He offered a wistful shrug at her comment, agreeing whole-heartedly. It was a shitty deal, but... it could have been worse. Bobi provided a welcome distraction to them both for a moment, and he found his lips quirking into a small grin as the rock clattered back to the ground, the kitten managing an impressive haughteur for his size.
Jigano's steps slowed as he thought he saw something promising. Most of the building's walls were only a few feet tall now, but two were over head height, with a corner of roof surviving between them, but most importantly there was a nearly-intact chimney, broader and thicker than a home would need. It could be a baker's oven... but the shape was reminiscent of the forge he'd seen in the old smith's workshop, though much larger. Still, he glanced behind with a brow raised in surprise at the harshness of Edy's former world, even though he'd heard some of it before. The retelling didn't make it any less pleasant to hear, and it must have been far worse to live. Which made her almost abrupt compassion at the end - rough-edged though it was - even more surprising. And welcome, Jigano finding an honest smile for his young friend. "Nothing is like how it was before, for any of us. I suppose that makes it a little easier, in some ways. There's always someone who has it worse than us." Not, perhaps, the most charitable sentiment, but sometimes a little selfishness was healthy.
He stepped through what might have once been a door, or was maybe just a particularly damaged part of the foundation, finding the snow a little shallower the further into the building he walked as the taller walls had blocked the drifting snow. There was stone underneath his feet, it felt like, so he retraced his steps and nodded at his friend with a wry smile. "Speaking of fire, though, would you be kind enough to melt that mess in there so we can get a better look at what we've got here?"
