#sona.

Of course she doesn’t. The fact she’d found his quarters once more hadn’t meant anything nor the way he could truly read how tense she was. Perhaps the stress of their endeavor weighed most heavily on her shoulders given their circumstances. But a part of him felt drawn to try and relieve her burden. As soon as the serious note coaxed it’s way into his mind he deviated in favor of fixing his attention on her. A thumb raked the data pad he’d been reading only scrolling further.

Standing, each footstep seemed to lure him closer to the other. He could feel both curious eyes and her nerves upon him and a subtle look up revealed familiar eyes that could cause such a stir in him. The subtle curl of his lips had only been telling to his intentions. “It says here there’s a trace line of ora a few hours out; secluded so it might be an interesting lead.” His form had nearly closed in.

“Which means we have some time before anything needs to be done.” Eyes lifted before he had tossed the data pad aside. She had his full attention.

“Which also means you can tell me what’s bothering you or—you and I can just relax?” Letting a hand capture one of her own fingers interlaced gradually. His other could have very well set the tone when it cradled her just above a hip.

HE’S BACK. | ACCEPTING

Zed would take a blade to the gullet and remain standing, Watch himself be splayed out on an ironside arm of a Bloodstrider and keep going. Dabble in horror and injury for none of it to phase him.

Yet when he heard her echo, it was as if his heart tore to ash.

The Shadow said something but Zed registered it as no more than a gurgle in the outskirts of his mind. He could unseat the thing from his internal palace every now and again, much to its chagrin, and in that moment he wanted nothing more than for it to stew in its silence.

There he was-- sitting in front of her with his head dipped and eyes somewhere between the floor and her instrument. He was not downcast or melancholy, but he was a shade of contemplative that didn’t occur easy.

It wouldn’t be painful if it wasn’t true.

“If you think of me that way,” Zed said, “I will not obstruct you, Sona.”

He had asked her to see it his way. She refused, and now they are both quiet, all three if it had to be inclusive of the thing that resided with Zed.