woofus

[bisouled]

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[soulus]

[While he continues to eye the water, his emotions tread the space between them. The resignation pulls on the mildest form of curiosity, followed by something almost like solicitude. Before the latter can fully take shape, it's cut off by a puff of pride.]

Rest assured. They won't be able to take me by surprise.

[bisouled]

[ what's this... is rufus secretly nice. ]

Hehe. You're so serious. [ she's amused by it, and that possibility that he's not all tough business, too. ] Don't you ever relax?

[soulus]

[Don't look at him.]

I would rather be aware of my surroundings at all times.

[bisouled]

Hmmm...

[ there's a slight lilt to her voice that indicates she's teasing him. ]

You sure you're not scared of mermaids?

[soulus]

Nothing here scares me.

[He says it simply, seriously, and truthfully.]

[bisouled]

Then there's no need to be vigilant all the time, is there? You're a tough guy, anyway.

[ she kicks her feet, splashing some water around. ]

So what do you spend all that bounty money on?

[soulus]

[He watches the water scatter with Fiora's kicks. His emotions waver momentarily.]

. . . You still haven't figured it out?

[bisouled]

[ that response seems to catch her off-guard, and an uncertainty bubbles in her. She'd just been wondering what his hobbies were... ]

Should I have? [ looking apologetic. ] Sorry. You're hard to read, you know.

[soulus]

[A very faint emotion hits the bottom and fades like a droplet of water. Just like that, his disappointment leaves as quickly as it came. But the low thrum of frustration that's seeped in with it remains, creating steady ripples even now.]

I spend it on ammunition for the next contract.

[bisouled]

[ and at that, the uncertainty turns to guilt. It was a clear deflection, anyway, but being able to sense his emotions just makes it obvious that she's not meeting some expectation. ]

... I know that's not the only thing.

[ there's an earnest curiosity, too, although it's obvious she's concerned for him more than curious - she doesn't want to dig deeper than he'd prefer. His family's gone. There's only one other thing she can think of. If his mother died of illness... ]

Is it medicine? [ a beat. Then, gingerly: ] ... For you?

[soulus]

[He meets her concern with muted curiosity of his own, covering up some of his frustration. No one's asked that before.]

My health isn't a concern.

[bisouled]

... Well, that's a relief, at least.

[ there's a little twinge of something like envy or yearning, but it passes quickly, washed away by Fiora's concern and determination to not disappoint him. (She's not sure why she cares this much - she supposes he's been good to her, and she wants to help him.) ]

Not sure what I'd do if you got sick. Who would I have secret strategy meetings with? [ she tries to give a light smile, but continues just as soon as she has. ] But if that's not the reason you're in debt, then...

[ he must have spent everything his family had trying to help his mother. She can't think of anything else; he hardly seems like the gambling type. ]

[soulus]

[She's fighting an uphill battle. Her determination is misplaced, and he focuses on the fleeting twinge of emotion, seizing it in his mind before it vanishes.

Combined with her words, her heart is like an open book—and so is his, in its own way, as anger spreads anew at the mention of his debt. It spreads and spreads until he's left feeling borderline numb.]

. . . I spent money I didn't have. That's all.

[bisouled]

Rufus...

[ there's precious little she can do to help with something like this, and she knows it. ]

I'm sorry. I was trying to suss out what you did for fun, not remind you of all that. [ why is she always putting her foot in her mouth with rufus. ] ... But I'm a little happy. You are a good guy, after all.

[soulus]

[But the numbness doesn't last long. It disintegrates after a moment, taking some of the edge off of his anger in the process. He has the clarity to be fully present again, and just in time to be uncertain of where Fiora is going.]

What do you mean?

[bisouled]

It's obvious that you really cared about her. Before, and even now.

[ a small smile. ]

I'll be honest: there were times I thought you were just a money-grubbing merc. But that's not the whole picture - not at all. You're just working your hardest to make up for all the sacrifices you made.

[soulus]

[When he thinks of his mother, a chasm opens deep in his heart. His anger sparks again, but it's nothing to the grief and love that pour out like an all-consuming flood.]

. . . I wasn't the one who made sacrifices.

[bisouled]

[ it's intense enough to surprise her - who would have thought that he was hiding such strong emotions under that grouchy expression? She's glad she gets to see them, though. It makes him more human. He'll be able to tell that she's endeared - not in a patronizing way, but in the same honest way Fiora is about most things. ]

I don't know about that. To me, it sounds like you've given up a lot.

[ it sounds like he's made his entire life revolve around paying off these debts and getting revenge all for her. That's a sacrifice. It's one she's made, and one she's seen her friends make, too. After a moment, she pulls herself to her feet with perhaps a bit more effort than a girl her age should need, but she makes no note of it, facing him properly. ]

... Right now, though, you don't have to worry about that. Want to try and find some mermaids?

[soulus]

[The flood ebbs, leaving behind melancholy. In his mind, all he did was bear witness to his mother's being made one such sacrifice by his father's choices—the same choices that have left him bitter for so many years. He still has his youth, health, and even a future; what has he given up?

The question rings inwardly as he watches her rise. Yes, he thinks, he definitely still has his health.]

There's no point in looking for something that might not be there.

[bisouled]

That's the silliest thing I've ever heard. If everyone thought like that, we'd never figure anything out.

[ she crosses her arms. there's plenty on her mind, roiling in the background distantly, but for now, she's focusing on being upbeat and kind. ]

It'll be fun!

[soulus]

[Fun is not productive.]

What did you see in the water earlier?

[bisouled]

Secret.

[ mischievously. ]

I'll tell you if you jump in.

[soulus]

Why do I have to do that?

[bisouled]

Because I said so, clearly. When's the last time you went swimming?

[soulus]

I don't remember . . . It's not important.