Honest, joyful enthusiasm.
It wasn't something Thomas was used to be greeted with -- not by someone who'd seen his true colors before -- and at first it confused him, awakening the instinct to take one step back when Yuuma approached. He didn't, though, and merely lifted his head to face he abrupt moves of the other, steadying himself in place. Running away didn't suit him; it never had, and he rarely ever backed off, even from puzzling things like this boy. In the end, a single gesture -- just one raised hand -- met the other in silence along with a grin; far more trademark and easily expected out of the flashy "fanservice" duelist. The move of someone easily used to having attention upon him, both confident and charismatic at once.
Yuuma might've been surprised to see him, but (outwardly at least) Thomas took it in stride. The mention of his brothers did bring a trace of shadow to his features, but he sad nothing beyond steeling himself through the topic and refraining from comments. For once.
"Bring it...?" he echoed quietly, as he wasn't sure if he could really believe what the other was saying. A small frown followed soon, easing then into somewhat of a snort. "Hmph. Come to think of it, you always did prattle on about some nonsense like that." Derogatory, mocking words, but spoken with no hint of actual malice; given what he'd seen of "IV" before, Yuuma would probably have no trouble identifying something like that. But, just to point it out firmly -- as if, in a way, he owed that much to the shorter boy before him -- Thomas extended his hand in a single bold move and plainly, without other fuss or ado, held forth the cards he'd collected before.
Quite ironically, they happened to be four in number.
"...I know," he said suddenly after. Coming from him, all of this might have seemed surprisingly honest or straightforward, as it lacked the usual cover-up flashiness and pompous attitude that surrounded his gestures. But, precisely because his interlocutor happened to be who he was, he felt it appropriate. Tsukumo Yuuma had done a lot for his family, and Thomas knew in a way that the boy himself would probably never be aware of, ever so well, just how much they owed him. Just how precious the things that he'd given them back had been. To Yuuma, it was just something he naturally did; to them, however, it had meant everything.
A small trace of amusement showed back up as Thomas moved, following the trail of cards still left on the ground and helping the other gather the rest. "You and I are both pretty slow when it comes to thinking things through. Even if you put our brains together, it's not like a brilliant plan will come out."
Normally, such a sentence should have meant he was putting himself down -- and Yuuma, as well -- but somehow, the self-assured way Thomas said it, it managed to sound more proud instead. Leave it to him to somehow make even admitting to flaws (apparently, at least) into an instrument of showy arrogance. He really didn't seem half as 'resigned' with those 'shortcomings' as his words would have made it. And, evidently enough... his tone did an almost full 180-degree turn in the matter of milliseconds.
"But, boring stuff like that's for old men. I've got better style." With that, he stood up, handing over the few other cards that he'd gathered to put Yuuma's set back together. He couldn't help but notice they were pitifully few, just like his own -- though, come to think of it, if they put them together they'd come almost close to having a deck. At the very least, if need be, one of them could duel more properly now. "Still, I'm surprised you survived with just these," he remarked. "I'd have imagined you crying about your precious lost Numbers by now." Slowly, his eyes drifted off to the buildings off in the distance, surrounding the small verdant park they were in. An assortment of various styles, just like the tour guide pamphlets had said. No one could say Thomas at least hadn't done his research this time; with that, the rather sharp expression of confidence which appeared on his face definitely left no doubt as to who he was. "Well, it's not my loss if you're planning to waste time being useless, but I was going to try to find more. This is the cultural sector for a reason, right?"
He was going to do this, himself; but it couldn't hurt at all to have Yuuma along. When was it, exactly, that the other's words about working together had actually reached him to this extent?
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