Warmth touches Mazikeen’s heart when Selaphiel smiles in the aftermath of her news. She’d been hoping for a positive reaction, hoping for the chance to bring a little bit of joy to contrast the death of their first meeting, and the heaviness that had persisted for the beginning of this one.
The smile doesn’t last long, which is concerning for a moment until he speaks. She doesn’t laugh, though part of her wants to and she bites her cheek to keep it in check. The laughter she forces down is half out of relief that he wasn’t going to announce he had decided to live somewhere else anyway, and half out of nervousness. The idea of someone seriously owing her anything is an uncomfortable feeling - so she tries to focus on the reverse side.
The idea that she could have saved this colt’s life twice? That was a better feeling. Even if it had barely required any thought on her part. She would have leapt to the defence of anyone - had actually looked forward to testing herself against the monsters without her shiting (even if that particular experiment would have been a spectacular failure if not for Ryatah). And changing this rule? It had been instinct too. The only thought required was whether or not Breach would hate her for doing it.
She knew she would make both of those choices over and over again, though. Knew they were the right things to do, the only possible choices she could have made in each situation.
So Mazikeen shakes her head, the fire aura illuminating them moving slightly with the action. “Repay me? Nothing - not for doing the right thing.” A small smile is working its way back into her orange eyes and her tone, but she regards his serious expression and wonders whether he’ll even accept that she wants absolutely nothing in repayment. Maybe his friendship? But that's an embarrassing thing to vocalize. So she quickly tries to think of something to offer. “But... you can help me keep an eye out and let me know if you notice anyone else living in Hyaline thinking that they’re not welcome? So we can try to fix it?”
@[Selaphiel]