Sweet Disaster

To his relief, she let his outburst slide, and he took the brief span of silence between them to finish reeling himself back in. Somewhere within himself was a version of Mikko that neither recognized nor praised the version of him who acted with such , but the former was locked away so securely, and for his own protection, that it was a mystery even to the latter where the key was. At least Shiba had been there to see the reason for it. Or, at least, a small part of it. Of course, she was only trying to help, but the thought of her doing much more for such a useless creature, after she'd already done so much, was enough to put the brute beyond his (very tight) comfort zone.

Mikko glanced at her again and momentarily tried to follow her eyes before realizing what (rather, who) she was likely trying to find. It was then, as if reading his mind, that she spoke up again, hinting at a question in the way that she pondered aloud his and his sister's history. So this was where Acciona had escaped to all that time ago? Suddenly, or perhaps not, his ears perked just a little, a wary curiosity glazing over his one eye as he straightened himself and took his turn to absorb their surroundings in greater detail. Did this mean they were finally free, now that they sought refuge here together? "Never had the option," he rumbled, almost thoughtfully. He looked to her again. "What all did she tell you?" Had she been up to good things here? Had this place been good to her?

"