dishearten | futurology ic inbox

( no such thing as too late in his experience. maybe from dying once; if there is still time then it's never too late. )

sounds to me like I owe you the thanks. knowing he had people to trust is a relief I can't explain. ( he has never had anyone else he could trust that way. knowing his brother hadn't been alone had made those days a little more bearable. )

I am lucky. and if he was keeping an eye out for you, that means you've found yourself a lifelong friend yourself. has he checked in yet since we got back? He's been making the rounds since we got back from Nalawi, three months is a long time for him not to check in on his friends.

I think he did more for me than I did for him.

[So definitely no thanks needed on her part. She's about to remark that yes, he has in fact dropped by once, looking much cleaner and contented now that they're all back together, but his following words catch her off-guard.]

Three months?

[But then she remembers, the extra few that had stayed behind when the rest of them had departed.]

That's right, you stayed behind. [Taught the Nalawi to hunt, if she remembers Olivia's broadcast correctly.] It sounds as though all of you were successful in your efforts.

I think it's equal. he likes to have someone to look after, and he hates to be lonely.

( they're family, but Graham would not hesitate to say that the wolf is more of a caretaker than he is, even though when he was younger and when game was scarce he helped his brother to hunt. it's perhaps a bit sad that the wolf manages to be more human than he is, on occasion. )

I did. we both did. I think he's glad to be back to a forest he recognizes.
and here? is there much changed since we were last?

Only the beginning of the remembrance festival still ongoing.

[So, not very much at all. Would that she had more exciting news to report but—]

Honestly, I'm grateful for the more sedate pace here. The Nalawi mission seemed to take a toll on everyone.

that it did. I am glad I stayed the extra few months, but that doesn't mean I can't be grateful for a reprieve now.

( even a heartless man can appreciate a bit of a reprieve. it's a chance to recharge, and they all need that. )

if you won't take thanks, perhaps I can make it up to you some other way. dinner, maybe? ( he doesn't even realize how that sounds. just that it is normal to pay forward a kindness, and he'd really like to. )

[Of the many forms of payment she expects to hear, dinner isn't one of them. It's either exceptionally forward or exceptionally traditional and she can't quite place which it's meant to be. (The latter, hopefully.)

Her gut instinct is to demur, state that dinner's still a form of thanks, but her brain's quick to rationalize: as far as team-bonding exercises go dinner isn't half bad, and hadn't she just been saying that they all deserve a bit of a reprieve? With that said, she does toss out one loose condition:]

Only if you let me buy the drinks.

[Or dessert, whichever he prefers.]

in that case I'm a strong fan of whiskey. ( he has no problem with that amendment, why should he? seems fair enough. he's not so fond of tradition that he sees something wrong with a woman buying him a drink. )

I'd hate to presume to do it soon, but if we don't, we'll likely be off on a new mission. when would suit you?

Whiskey it is.

[He brings up a point too - their stays in Oska have been brief at best, and if past missions are any indicator, any further downtime past Oska will be intermittent at best.

So:]

How about tomorrow?

tomorrow, then. I can meet you at your room.

( back to the old fashioned nonsense, sorry Riza. )

[Ah.]

How about we meet by the dining room? It's not that far of a walk.

[She's a grown woman, she doesn't need an escort....]

( good news... that doesn't bother him either... most things don't, but that is not the point! )

I'll see you there, then. I'm looking forward to it.

[Smh!! But ah, that's sweet.]

Tell Brother I say hello.

( she can't hear it, but she nearly earned a chuckle. )

I will, if he doesn't find you first.
I'll be seeing you tomorrow.

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