โ But fine. โ
He added, tone sharpening just slightly as his focus shifted.
โ Letโs not fall behind, then. โ
There was a brief pause before he glanced at her again, something lighter flickering in his expression.
โ Try to keep up, priest. โ
He rolled his shoulder once, testing the movement again. The pain was still there, but distant now. It was manageable, thanks to her.
โ Yeah, I can handle myself. โ
His eyes flicked over her as she checked her brush, gun and elixirs. All in place. Always prepared.
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rian rolls her eyes at takeruโs jests but accepts them as compliments nonetheless. she is competent, stubborn, and forwardโthinking. she likes to think thatโs what makes her one of the best in her field.
โthink you can handle yourself okay now?โ rian inquires but she +
When she mentioned a quota, he let out a soft breath that almost passed for a laugh.
โ A quota, huh?โ
He said, adjusting the grip on his sword.
โ Didnโt realize we were keeping score. โ
He stepped forward, pace steady now, falling in beside her without hesitation.
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He glanced down at it for half a second, then back ahead, lips quirking.
โ I see why Ryuga likes you so much. โ
He said, teasing.
โ Youโre competent, stubborn, and you donโt take no for an answer. Practically his favorite combination. โ
When she smiled and squeezed his arm, he let out a low huff.
โ Yeah. โ
He replied, testing his step as they started walking. The pain was still there, but dulled enough that it no longer demanded all his attention.
โ Youโre annoyingly good at it. โ
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rian spins her brush between her fingers before holstering it in her belt. she loved being a priest more than anything. she loved learning new spells and always acknowledged how limitless it was to help people who needed people like her. it made her feel important.
and now +
They moved together across the grass, sunlight filtering through the trees. His awareness stretched outward automatically, senses brushing against the city beyond the park. Her arm was still looped through his, light but steady.
-
Takeru huffed out a breath, shoulders tense as he stood there, jaw set. He was used to people mistaking his tone for indifference, or worse, aggression. He never bothered correcting them. It was easier that way. But Rian .. she always seemed to see past it.
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takeru always seemed to be concerned for her, even if his words came across a little rough at times. he acted like one's brother would. she didn't have any siblings but she'd deem him close to one. her eyes fixate on him, worried that he was pushing himself far too much +
He could feel it working, loosening something tight and angry under his ribs. When the script finally lifted and dissolved into the air, he rolled his shoulders carefully. Took a deeper breath than heโd managed in a while. He glanced down at his side, then back at her.
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already reaching for her tools.
His expression shifted.
โ I didnโt say it was bad. โ
Instead of doing as told, he decided to stand up, but with that sudden motion, a sharp flare was sent through his ribs. He groaned slightly under his breath.
He stiffened on instinct, shoulders locking for a heartbeat before he exhaled. When she said she could probably handle things on her own, a rough chuckle escaped him, like heโd just heard the most ridiculous thing all day.
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the injury wasnโt on rianโs radar until takeru had difficulty sitting up. she felt bad, moving an arm around his back to help him.
โif thatโs the case, i can probably handle things on my own. relaxing isnโt exactly part of our job descriptions,โ rian says with a frown.
+
He shook his head, lips tugging into a crooked smile despite the ache in his side.
โ On your own? Yeah, right. โ
Of course she wasnโt going to be alone. Not if he had any say in it. Injury or not, that simply wasnโt how this worked. He watched her withdraw her hands,
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