Sportacus is completely thrown off guard by Robbie’s demand. He wasn’t expecting that he’d want HIM to talk about anything. He thought that he’d ask for something…more characteristic. Like asking him to stop with his flips or jumps… Yes, a part of the hero even thought that Robbie would force him to leave town, once he had successfully helped the villain. But now this… He blinks, still staring at Robbie’s nervous gaze, clearly waiting for an answer…and obviously expecting a negation of his claim.
He steadies himself and asks in a calm voice “Okay. I will. About what would you like me to start talking about?”
Robbie narrows his eyes for a moment “…You… You’d actually…”
“Yes,” Sportacus nods enthusiastically “As long as you think it helps you in any way. Sure, I will,” he smiles gently “But you have to give me a hint where I should start from, otherwise, I might end up telling you something, you’re not interested in.”
“Like some scores of the last soccer games?!” for a split second, a weak smile tugs at his lips. Sportacus is so happy, he can’t help a broad smile, himself. That start of a smile admittedly isn’t much, but it’s still more than he thought he would achieve with Robbie this soon. “No, I know, you wouldn’t be interested in THAT,” he titles his head, still smiling softly “So? What shall I say?”
Robbie, every trace of the smile gone, lowers his eyes again and shifts a little uneasily, mumbling “…I…honestly wasn’t expecting you to…agree to this…” He laughs forcedly and swallows hard. The hero eyes him for a few seconds, then he suggests softly “How about you ask me some more questions? No matter the topic, I promise, I’ll answer truthfully.”
“…Really?…”
“Really.”
“…Okay…” Robbie’s head swirls with all these sudden emotions and the confusion about the situation and he has to close his eyes for a few seconds. Or minutes? He can’t tell. But he realizes that Sportacus is waiting patiently and in complete silence for him to start. He’s not pushing or rushing him. He isn’t even moving one bit, despite his usual, restless self. He’s just breathing. Calmly. In and out. And Robbie can hear this, since he’s sitting close enough. And somehow, this soothes his own throbbing heartbeat and shallow breathing again and the thick mist in his mind slowly starts to clear. “…Why are you here in LazyTown?…” he nearly winces when his own low voice cuts through the peaceful silence now. “Because Stephanie needed my help and sent me a letter.”
“Yeah, but to get this, you must’ve already been flying around the town in your airship, otherwise, the tube with the letter in it would’ve just flown very high and then fallen down to earth again, like every other ordinary object, you catapult up in the air in any way.” He should know. He’s been the object multiple times already, after all. “So, what were you doing up there in the first place?”
Sportacus looks at him. He had successfully suppressed a wince at the smart but unexpected question and considers his reply for a moment “I’ve been…looking for someone…”
“Who?” now, Robbie titles his head in interest and nosiness. For a split second, his exhaustion falls off of him and he feels quite good. That is until he hears Sportacus answer, after the hero reminds himself that he promised Robbie to be completely honest with him. He takes a deep breath in, then he searches the villain’s eyes and answers lowly, in the softest voice he manages in the current situation “You.”
