Though she knew he wasn't so enthusiastic about birthdays, Sona still wanted to honor him anyway. She handed him a small basket wrapped in simple paper with a red ribbon; a glass bottle of mineral oil, a slide-panel wooden box containing a fine-grain whetstone, and a jar of lanolin sword wax with a woolen cleaning cloth.
“Eh... |Don’t worry about it.| You do not have to say anything.” He waved her off with an almost embarrassed air about him, “I am here, another year, doing not much of anything but training, and wondering if I shall still be here, next year...”
Realizing how indignant his words came out, he cleared his throat and clasped his palms together in feigned excitement, “But its okay. This place is... okay! Y-You did not have to get me a thing, though. I would have been okay...” He received the gift all the same though, taking it in both hands and not letting it stay covered for long. And sure enough, and unconscious ‘Woh...’ left him as he inspected the contents.
“I do not remember the last time I tended to my entire collection.” He mused as he stared at the things like they were ghosts in the fog. Snapping to attention once again though, he gifted back an uncertain smile, “... Thank you very much, Sona. This is practical. So long as it is quality, I shall put it to good use.”
And then, fighting himself to do it, he placed the basket down and opened his arms... for a hug of all things? That’s what you were supposed to do in this land... right?