Slowly, the conversation turned to safer waters, away from the depths Rory wanted to plunge into. It was so easy to get lost in another, so tempting to look over the edge into their darkness and fall facefirst into it—but this didn't feel like the time to press. Jigano had already given up one of his secrets today. He could keep the rest a little longer.
Besides, there was time for it later. It was there, in the silent promise of their clasped hands. There would be time for it.
Lest either of them died, but Rory couldn't go around thinking like that. While Caido was dangerous, expecting everyone to drop dead at any moment was .. not only a bit too extreme, but he couldn't even begin to imagine how stressful and anxiety-inducing it would be.
So: later. There would be time for the tales of Torch later.
And his question chased the most immediate sorrow from the other's face, eased as distance was put between him and the memories again. The smile warmed Rory in a way he wasn't used to, seeping through his veins, his muscles, coiling and uncoiling something at the same time. It had been a long time since he had hung on so intently to every expression made, watching, thinking, feeling.
And some things fell into place. Rory had heard talk of 'Loreseekers', curious-minded people who went digging through the treasures of the Atheneum, and he remembered being rather surprised at the time, for the same talk said that while the instigator was an Outlander, many Naturals joined this effort. So it wasn't just a gaggle of Outlanders who came here and tried to dig up secrets, no, it was merely an Outlander who breathed life and cohesion into those who were already here. And now that he had thought of that, he thought he might've heard the name Jigano mentioned before, but he couldn't be sure.
He felt the Loreseeker's fingers hold his tighter, and gently returned the pressure.
Rory had always had his farm, the center of his existence. Even when everything else fell away.. he still had that one place, anchoring him, needing him.
He couldn't imagine what it was like to be so untethered, to merely .. drift. Nor could he imagine having the space for it: he was born in a cage and without a concept of how large, how limitless the world was. Slowly his gaze fell to their hands again, a slight frown creasing his forehead again.
Just how stunted were their lives in here? Just how much did they miss out on? Just how different was the rest of the world?
"I'm glad," he said quietly, looking up again. In here, it was difficult (but possible) to lose someone. The idea of a larger world, of their barrier going down, frightened him, and perhaps it showed in his eyes for a moment, but then he put it aside. "I have heard a little of the Loreseekers. Have you found anything interesting yet?"
Besides, there was time for it later. It was there, in the silent promise of their clasped hands. There would be time for it.
Lest either of them died, but Rory couldn't go around thinking like that. While Caido was dangerous, expecting everyone to drop dead at any moment was .. not only a bit too extreme, but he couldn't even begin to imagine how stressful and anxiety-inducing it would be.
So: later. There would be time for the tales of Torch later.
And his question chased the most immediate sorrow from the other's face, eased as distance was put between him and the memories again. The smile warmed Rory in a way he wasn't used to, seeping through his veins, his muscles, coiling and uncoiling something at the same time. It had been a long time since he had hung on so intently to every expression made, watching, thinking, feeling.
And some things fell into place. Rory had heard talk of 'Loreseekers', curious-minded people who went digging through the treasures of the Atheneum, and he remembered being rather surprised at the time, for the same talk said that while the instigator was an Outlander, many Naturals joined this effort. So it wasn't just a gaggle of Outlanders who came here and tried to dig up secrets, no, it was merely an Outlander who breathed life and cohesion into those who were already here. And now that he had thought of that, he thought he might've heard the name Jigano mentioned before, but he couldn't be sure.
He felt the Loreseeker's fingers hold his tighter, and gently returned the pressure.
Rory had always had his farm, the center of his existence. Even when everything else fell away.. he still had that one place, anchoring him, needing him.
He couldn't imagine what it was like to be so untethered, to merely .. drift. Nor could he imagine having the space for it: he was born in a cage and without a concept of how large, how limitless the world was. Slowly his gaze fell to their hands again, a slight frown creasing his forehead again.
Just how stunted were their lives in here? Just how much did they miss out on? Just how different was the rest of the world?
"I'm glad," he said quietly, looking up again. In here, it was difficult (but possible) to lose someone. The idea of a larger world, of their barrier going down, frightened him, and perhaps it showed in his eyes for a moment, but then he put it aside. "I have heard a little of the Loreseekers. Have you found anything interesting yet?"
