Marino gave the monkeys a wary look as Juli spoke about them. If this was them on their good behavior, he certainly didn’t want to stick around to see their bad side. Already he could catch a whiff of the over ripe fruit. The smell was none too pleasant and he could only imagine what it must be like for Tazrae covered in the stuff. In the end though all he could do is give her a helpless look as they made their way back down the trail.
He thought about offering his water skin to her. That way should could at least rinse off some of the gunk, but if that had been her plan he suspected that she would use her own. She was unusually quiet on the trip back. An unidentified feeling panged deep within him when he occasionally glanced at her. It occurred to him that there was probably more he could be doing right now, though all of his ideas didn’t fit the mood right now. Marino tried putting himself in her shoes, he suspected that his feelings would be along the same lines. Quiet, reserved. Eager to put this situation behind him. So he kept his silence while he considered ways to make up for his inaction earlier.
There were no new ideas though by the time they made it back so that left him making the obvious suggestions. Ones which she turned down, and really he couldn’t blame her. His heart felt heavy as he realized this was where they would part. Marino was too close to the situation to see any differently, so he steered the course. He was honestly a little too weary to do otherwise.
It wasn’t easy, but he accepted that she would go to the Panacea if it came to it. He didn’t press the issue, wanting to respect her boundaries even if he desperately wanted to take care of her. However these feelings were all so strong and new to him. Marino would need time to sort through them, to get to know Tazrae more so he could be more receptive in the future. Such discussions would happen naturally, he was sure. For now, he just needed to be a good friend to her.
“Last night was special for me too. I don’t think I could have passed the storm as calmly if it wasn’t for you. I’ll be around, of course. After the Seasilk gets her attention, I might go for a trip around the island and maybe a little fishing. Naturally, if you need me for anything, don’t hesitate to find me. I can think of no one else I would rather help than you.” He said, his voice soft while his hands fidgeted at his sides. Petching common, he never knew what to do with them in this cold tongue, but he hoped Tazrae got the sentiment he was trying to express. She was special to him, and he wanted her to know that.
“I’ll be fine though, don’t worry, and dinner sounds grand. Maybe I’ll get lucky with the fish.” He offered as a passing suggestion, before seeing her off. Were life a song, he would have run to her then. Caught her in his arms, ignoring all his trepidations, but life wasn’t so simple. It wasn’t clearly laid out like it was in the stories, where a man could do as his heart pulled him. An the unexpected reservation bit deeply at the soul beneath. Tazrae was changing him in ways that he was only just now coming to understand.
He thought about offering his water skin to her. That way should could at least rinse off some of the gunk, but if that had been her plan he suspected that she would use her own. She was unusually quiet on the trip back. An unidentified feeling panged deep within him when he occasionally glanced at her. It occurred to him that there was probably more he could be doing right now, though all of his ideas didn’t fit the mood right now. Marino tried putting himself in her shoes, he suspected that his feelings would be along the same lines. Quiet, reserved. Eager to put this situation behind him. So he kept his silence while he considered ways to make up for his inaction earlier.
There were no new ideas though by the time they made it back so that left him making the obvious suggestions. Ones which she turned down, and really he couldn’t blame her. His heart felt heavy as he realized this was where they would part. Marino was too close to the situation to see any differently, so he steered the course. He was honestly a little too weary to do otherwise.
It wasn’t easy, but he accepted that she would go to the Panacea if it came to it. He didn’t press the issue, wanting to respect her boundaries even if he desperately wanted to take care of her. However these feelings were all so strong and new to him. Marino would need time to sort through them, to get to know Tazrae more so he could be more receptive in the future. Such discussions would happen naturally, he was sure. For now, he just needed to be a good friend to her.
“Last night was special for me too. I don’t think I could have passed the storm as calmly if it wasn’t for you. I’ll be around, of course. After the Seasilk gets her attention, I might go for a trip around the island and maybe a little fishing. Naturally, if you need me for anything, don’t hesitate to find me. I can think of no one else I would rather help than you.” He said, his voice soft while his hands fidgeted at his sides. Petching common, he never knew what to do with them in this cold tongue, but he hoped Tazrae got the sentiment he was trying to express. She was special to him, and he wanted her to know that.
“I’ll be fine though, don’t worry, and dinner sounds grand. Maybe I’ll get lucky with the fish.” He offered as a passing suggestion, before seeing her off. Were life a song, he would have run to her then. Caught her in his arms, ignoring all his trepidations, but life wasn’t so simple. It wasn’t clearly laid out like it was in the stories, where a man could do as his heart pulled him. An the unexpected reservation bit deeply at the soul beneath. Tazrae was changing him in ways that he was only just now coming to understand.
