[Technically, she could have. She could have put a tiny pink cat-shaped eraser in and made a pussy joke. She could have given him a gift card to a grocery store. But she didn't, and as he opens the pouch, curious, takes out the burnished metal object in a hand, weighs it, looks at her, looks at it, then opens it slowly, it's clear that he hadn't expected something like this. If he'd expected anything at all.
He can't be surprised that she's experienced and generous with gift giving, but best surprised anyway. he stares into the sun dial, glances over into the compass. turns himself, a little to watch the needle spin itself, ever pointing north.
Part of him wonders for a moment, irrationally, that if he goes home, whether it might lead him back to here. This moment, this place. Irrational. Or only in memory. It'll be good enough.] I love it very much, [he says, once he can say anything again. His voice is scratchy. Eudio has made him soft, like it made Cassidy soft. Like he'd been soft when he was a child, Cassidy thieving rolls for him from the dinner table. Gifts make you soft. And he'll kill anyone who tries to take this one from him.]
[ She watches him open the gift with anticipation, at first leaned back in her chair before she leans forward and rests her face into her hands, elbows on the table. Kenzi's manners usually and probably leave something to be desired. And she smiles at him just before he opens it, lips curling into something impish as she waits for him to figure out what it is, to read the message.]
I promise I didn't steal it, [ she says with a self-satisfied smile as she watches him test the compass out, sighing happily as he says that he loves it. ]
You're welcome. [ She gives him a little bit of herself as she speaks again--] I never got to give people gifts. Real gifts. That weren't stolen before. [ She earned the money for that, at least kind of. It wasn't the most legit job, shopping for Vex but it was a job and he paid her for it. And thus, she paid for this compass with her earnings. I
It felt good. And it felt better to make him sound that way.]
Honestly, didn't occur to me for, [a beat.] More than a second.
[He's being funny. But he didn't honestly think she would've stolen it. Partly because of law and consideration and wanting this to be true and special and lovely, both the pragmatics and the principle. But mostly, he thought, because of the place where principle and pragmatics meet one another; not wanting to risk the possibility that her gift from the heart could excusably be taken away. Honestly, he'dve thought it was funny if she'd pinched it, as surely it is nothing a shopkeeper can't spare. But he wouldn't have liked to lose it.
And now it's his. All his own. The second real gift he's received in Eudio, and it touches his heart in a way that Cassidy could have done done before. In a way that Cassidy perhaps prepared him for, starting to heal the ugly old wound of guilt and betrayal.]
Well now you seem to be an old hand at it in your new life, [he observes.] This will guide me true. And I'm always in dire need of that, you know.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
SCREAMS I LOVE THIS
He can't be surprised that she's experienced and generous with gift giving, but best surprised anyway. he stares into the sun dial, glances over into the compass. turns himself, a little to watch the needle spin itself, ever pointing north.
Part of him wonders for a moment, irrationally, that if he goes home, whether it might lead him back to here. This moment, this place. Irrational. Or only in memory. It'll be good enough.] I love it very much, [he says, once he can say anything again. His voice is scratchy. Eudio has made him soft, like it made Cassidy soft. Like he'd been soft when he was a child, Cassidy thieving rolls for him from the dinner table. Gifts make you soft. And he'll kill anyone who tries to take this one from him.]
Thank you, Kenzi.
<3
I promise I didn't steal it, [ she says with a self-satisfied smile as she watches him test the compass out, sighing happily as he says that he loves it. ]
You're welcome. [ She gives him a little bit of herself as she speaks again--] I never got to give people gifts. Real gifts. That weren't stolen before. [ She earned the money for that, at least kind of. It wasn't the most legit job, shopping for Vex but it was a job and he paid her for it. And thus, she paid for this compass with her earnings. I
It felt good. And it felt better to make him sound that way.]
no subject
[He's being funny. But he didn't honestly think she would've stolen it. Partly because of law and consideration and wanting this to be true and special and lovely, both the pragmatics and the principle. But mostly, he thought, because of the place where principle and pragmatics meet one another; not wanting to risk the possibility that her gift from the heart could excusably be taken away. Honestly, he'dve thought it was funny if she'd pinched it, as surely it is nothing a shopkeeper can't spare. But he wouldn't have liked to lose it.
And now it's his. All his own. The second real gift he's received in Eudio, and it touches his heart in a way that Cassidy could have done done before. In a way that Cassidy perhaps prepared him for, starting to heal the ugly old wound of guilt and betrayal.]
Well now you seem to be an old hand at it in your new life, [he observes.] This will guide me true. And I'm always in dire need of that, you know.