Just for a moment, he thought he saw a drop in veil she was fighting to maintain. Though, he wouldn’t mention it, and she would be quick to instill that disinterested grimace firmly back into place. Much to his surprise, she didn’t pose much of an argument to the event at the marketplace. Instead, she agreed that maybe he wasn’t that stupid after all. He couldn’t help the snort of amusement. “Wow, don’t hurt yourself. That almost sounded like a compliment.” He teased, looking away for a moment as he worked to conceal the smirk that threatened his features.
It was the genuine laughter that stole the show for him. He studied her from his peripherals- it seemed that maybe even she didn’t believe it could be possible to think a pirate could be anything but detestable. It was kind of a cute realization. “Well …” His tone trailed off in a sigh, still avoiding direct eye contact to be dramatic. “it just goes to show you, how far more ruthless you are than myself.” He continued, adding in a stretch for good measure. “Can’t even tell when you’ve hurt someone’s feelings.” He finished, offering a sniffle as he chanced another glance in her direction. Even still, the teasing glint was ever-present in his amber gaze.
It seemed the sudden closeness surprised her every bit as much as it had him. Though, she didn’t immediately recoil out of disgust. Instead, she took a moment to think, before delivering something far more insightful than he anticipated. We are all villains in someone’s story. He tilted his own head slightly, offering a shallow nod as he considered. Though it was then he came to a separate realization that this girl was probably way too smart for him … but it wouldn’t stop him from trying. As she continued, she steals his attention once more. Offering genuine insight that she didn’t perceive him as someone with ill intentions. In the quiet space between them, he offered her a subtle, but soft grin, behind eyes that suddenly felt exhausted. He could have lingered there in that moment for much longer than he did. Though, he was quick to blink those feelings away as he moved to give her distance- returning to his brash and teasing self with ease. “Sounds like I have some work to do then- and I never claimed to make good choices. So you can’t hold that over my head either.” He answered in an effort to put his own momentary lapse behind him.
In line with her hunting trip, she went on describe some of her own personal values- aside from whatever impression her father gave. “Is that so?” Aresenn asked in amusement. She went on to explain how it had fallen on her shoulders to come out hunting- not out of necessity, but because she saw a need, and decided to fill it. “Hmm, well, aren’t you just a girl of her people, then?” The Praetor boy mused. Though as what she said sunk in, he couldn’t help but draw parallels. “As a pirate, it’s generally everyone for themselves. You have to pull your own weight because no one is going to pull it for you. I thought the high and mighty Armadans would be a lot more rigid with their structure and routines. Doesn’t sound all that different.” It might sound more flowery- the way they did things when it was put to words. But from an outsider looking in, he didn’t notice anything that was starkly divergent.
"Aresenn Praetor"
Juggernaut
Professor
