well, at least she took advantage of his offering. that was all that mattered. some warriors were too proud to accept any form of aid. clearly, she knew the difference between reason and foolishness. he figures it’s the adrenaline laden rush which sharpens her tongue, puts her on edge, makes her so damn combative. it’s residual vitality from her fight, channeled into wit and backtalk when it should be routed towards healing. knowing this, he needn’t worry much about her survival. that coolness of her demeanour could easily crack when necessary, revealing the contrast to her bark ( her opponent’s wounds were proof of her bite ).
❛ mhm. ❜ it’s a half-hearted answer at her spat, but he does listen. it’s his back which confronts her voice. his hands still busy, carefully working along the felled corpse, sinew is artfully strung into rope with hide repurposed. occasionally, he’s clapping hands together, ridding them of their rusted tinge. once finished, he’d be able to cleanse his palms of dust and all else. he’s conscious to avoid the blood, as it would make him a target for keen noses and jaws later — should he be careless.
now, he asks, eyes over the left shoulder, obscured by his fringe. ❛ … and, are you looking to head back ? ❜ of course she was. what sane foreigner found solace on a world meant to consume or destroy her ? crafted by Cocoon’s grand and sheltered majesty, he assumes she carries some bitterness towards the worlds below. she’s a soldier of some sort, so she does not bear the same vulnerability as a typical citizen would ( they would have been bloodied and dead before they could utter the word Behemoth ).
❛ you’re in no condition to be wandering around on your own. ❜ he sighs, considers his next words, knowing he’d be greatly hindered should he choose to tag along. she’d likely refuse — but a life was a life, no matter how stubborn, and they all held ample value. facing her fully now, he leans onto the mass behind him, staring skyward to take note of the time. freshly noon. sticky, humid. but there’s plenty of time to plan.
❛ you didn’t stitch it, did you ? you’ll heal up faster if you do. ❜ he reaches for his pouch to retrieve a canteen. the cap is twisted, a sip is taken. he then tips it, swapping hands between each decant to properly cleanse his palms. ❛ stop being so stubborn. there’s still good people in the world, y’know. not everyone’s out to get you. ❜
In midst of tending to her wound, Lightning would peek up from her leg to analyze what exactly the traveler was doing with the corpse of the beast they killed. Though curiosity was not enough to boldly ask, so she remained quiet and brought her focus back to her bandaging. Although she failed to aid her wound with the proper stitching, she managed to cover it flawlessly with a tight pull of the cloths loose ends. When the man then asked about where she stood with her traveling between both worlds, Lightning sat in silence a moment, briefly falling into thought --- Would she be able to return home ? Could she live to fulfill her focus and have the ability to live again --- ? Doubtful. Though she’d be damned if she didn’t try.
❛ It’s a little more complicated than that. ❜ It wasn’t a matter of landing on the feared world below, and making her way back home. She was branded, her sister was in stasis; And that thought alone forced her to snap out of her weakened state. She was wasting time sitting and conversing casually with a man she did not know. Still, he proved to pose no threat and was kind enough to offer her the materials needed to aid her wound. He was now showing concern for her well being, despite having known one another for no longer than a mere few minutes. Despite how closed off she preferred to remain around strangers, she would at least offer gratitude for his benevolence. ❛ Anyway, thanks. ❜ Light spoke just loud enough for him to hear as she began to carefully pick herself back up onto her feet.
Ten minutes was long enough to be sitting back doing nothing. Still, she wasn’t foolish. Those few moments of rest were not entirely wasted, having regained just enough of her magic to ease the pain caused by her cut, and prevent the lesion from bleeding further. The palm of her hand, which was now glowing with ravaging magic, rested upon her outer thigh. She could feel the tension ease slightly, and allowed a quiet gasp to escape her parted lips as a response. Lightning used her magic without concern of her companies reaction. His theory that not all people were bad -- That not all people were out to get her, it would be tested with her nonchalantly using L’cie born magic.
❛ Got it covered. Here. ❜ Bending forward, the woman scooped up the tools he lent her, then marched forward with her arm out to offer them back. ❛ I’m headed south. ❜ She stated firmly, sharp blues locking with his. Lightning then turned her back and began to move forward, her direction given to him as an unofficial invitation, should he choose to follow -- She learned to give others a chance, thanks to her newfound allies; but made no promises to lower her guard. Fact of the matter, If the man wished to join and could keep up and stay out of her way, she wouldn’t fight to company. If she were honest, traveling Pulse alone wasn’t exactly desirable; especially against the battle of time.
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