A jerky nod was the response; agreement, but not without the pain of the observation hitting a little too close to home, even after several years. The nostalgia of the barracks had already cracked the courier's shell farther than he'd expected, and he didn't dare continue down that road with a hero he wanted to--
If not impress, at least not embarrass himself in front of.
Steel was trustworthy, reliable, and good for getting out of a tight spot. Verbal as well as physical, as it turned out, and Tal's relief was almost palpable in his voice and face as the segue worked. He revealed a brief, bright grin when Deimos showed an unexpected flash of humor that made him look younger and a little less intimidating. "Um With axes? Yeah. Can't carry extra weight on the trail, but an axe comes in handy even when there isn't something to fight." He chewed his lip fiercely for a moment as he gathered his courage.
"D'you think... I could learn a few things from you? I haven't really had anyone to teach me anything new since... well. For the last few years. Any pointers you've got would be great." His fingers twitched, tapping a quiet rapid rhythm against his thigh as he looked away from Deimos to watch the fire instead, stubbornly holding his ground against ghosts no one else could see.
If not impress, at least not embarrass himself in front of.
Steel was trustworthy, reliable, and good for getting out of a tight spot. Verbal as well as physical, as it turned out, and Tal's relief was almost palpable in his voice and face as the segue worked. He revealed a brief, bright grin when Deimos showed an unexpected flash of humor that made him look younger and a little less intimidating. "Um With axes? Yeah. Can't carry extra weight on the trail, but an axe comes in handy even when there isn't something to fight." He chewed his lip fiercely for a moment as he gathered his courage.
"D'you think... I could learn a few things from you? I haven't really had anyone to teach me anything new since... well. For the last few years. Any pointers you've got would be great." His fingers twitched, tapping a quiet rapid rhythm against his thigh as he looked away from Deimos to watch the fire instead, stubbornly holding his ground against ghosts no one else could see.
