03-25-2019, 08:23 PM
He couldn't help the beam of his grin, though admittedly he didn’t much try. Nox offered his help so casually, but it meant something to Raffe -- particularly the promise. Oriena had talked about snakes often enough that he understood what Nox had been, and of course he’d seen the newsfeeds that followed Ascendancy’s Arch. Kasun might be a monster to everyone else, but Raffe was sure he wasn’t a lost cause. Nox agreed to a chance. That was all he needed. “Actually I would really appreciate that.”
The other man’s words made him feel warm even if he didn't much believe them (what Nox called heroic, pretty much everyone else called stupid). He could feel the spread of a faint blush against his skin, but it wasn't unpleasant, and certainly not something to hide. It didn't embarrass him either, but it did make him smile more. Enough that he scruffed a hand through his hair and tried to clear his throat (which didn’t go so well).
“That’s very black and white,” he said, though clearly the idea disturbed him. Whole families dead, and for what? It sounded beyond comprehension; too vast a thing for one person to have such power at their fingertips. But not something to kill for. He had trouble wrapping his mind around that, even though he knew it was true. But then he’d never understood how his father had killed his mother either. And certainly he’d had less reason.
“Uh. No, I don’t think so.” Raffe had never really considered the security of this place, but it wasn’t like Nox didn’t have a reason to be paranoid. A faint frown drifted across his expression, though he couldn’t fully say why -- like a drill against his skull. Not that he could put his finger on it. “It must be scary,” he agreed. “The not knowing. A creature they preys on channelers doesn’t exactly sound all warm and fuzzy either.” Incredulity flickered, but not disbelief. Life had been strange for a long time, but he doubted it’d ever quite stop surprising. He paused a moment, curious. “The girls say it’s like joy. Strange how something so wonderful can come from something so dark. Did you ever think about teaching? I’m sure they’d be people you could help.”
The other man’s words made him feel warm even if he didn't much believe them (what Nox called heroic, pretty much everyone else called stupid). He could feel the spread of a faint blush against his skin, but it wasn't unpleasant, and certainly not something to hide. It didn't embarrass him either, but it did make him smile more. Enough that he scruffed a hand through his hair and tried to clear his throat (which didn’t go so well).
“That’s very black and white,” he said, though clearly the idea disturbed him. Whole families dead, and for what? It sounded beyond comprehension; too vast a thing for one person to have such power at their fingertips. But not something to kill for. He had trouble wrapping his mind around that, even though he knew it was true. But then he’d never understood how his father had killed his mother either. And certainly he’d had less reason.
“Uh. No, I don’t think so.” Raffe had never really considered the security of this place, but it wasn’t like Nox didn’t have a reason to be paranoid. A faint frown drifted across his expression, though he couldn’t fully say why -- like a drill against his skull. Not that he could put his finger on it. “It must be scary,” he agreed. “The not knowing. A creature they preys on channelers doesn’t exactly sound all warm and fuzzy either.” Incredulity flickered, but not disbelief. Life had been strange for a long time, but he doubted it’d ever quite stop surprising. He paused a moment, curious. “The girls say it’s like joy. Strange how something so wonderful can come from something so dark. Did you ever think about teaching? I’m sure they’d be people you could help.”