The laugh is soft as a cloud and quiet like the gentle babble of a nearby brook, but it is enough to capture his attention. He comes to a stop and a quick glance around reveals several others occupying the meadow, but there is only one looking directly at him, moving toward him, speaking to him.
Happy? If left to his own limited emotional vocabulary, it is not the word he would have chosen to describe his current frame of mind, but now that she mentions it, it seems rather appropriate. And recent in development, as well.
He had moped for some time after returning from his quest, lamenting the loss of the only lifestyle he’d known while coming to terms with the fact that he was an ineffectual man in more ways than one. But things are different now, he is different now. Yes, a scrap of his old self remains, for it is virtually impossible to fully scrub away years of one’s constitution, but his new self is at least open to the constant changes that Beqanna brings.
He opens his mouth to respond to her, but it quickly snaps shut and his jaw sets tightly when her question flicks out quick as a frog’s tongue after a tasty morsel. He is not angry, but he is caught off guard by her query, as it is the one thing that he’s not been willing to address yet.
This is the second time in a relatively short span of time that someone has asked him about being in love. First, he’d been asked about Demise, his favorite partner from the old days. He hadn’t admitted to loving her because that just didn’t seem like the right way to describe the chaos that they had created together. It didn’t fit with the kind of man he had been then.
And now.. now his thoughts drift back to the red and gold woman once again, not that they’d strayed far from her anyway. It feels dishonest to say that he loves her, for they are still strangers in the grand scheme of things, but he certainly enjoys passing the time in her company. Perhaps someday they might find themselves in love’s embrace, but for now,
“No, I can’t say that I am in love.. but I suppose I am rather happy.”
His eyes skim over her distinct form, appreciating the uniqueness that Beqanna’s new blood has stamped on her. He is still adjusting to such otherworldly appearances, but he does not stare in shock quite as much anymore. He smiles gently, both in the pleasure her aesthetic brings, and in friendly greeting.
“My name is Assailant. Thank you for bringing the happiness to my attention…?”
His head tips toward her, leaving a questioning gap so that she might fill it with her own name.
@neuna