Bonding in Desdem pt.2

Alexis listened attentively, feeling that this were not memories the usually jovial man shared very often.

She had never heard about such harsh traditions. Growing up in Garrah certainly felt quite tame in comparison. After all, if not for her mother’s illness, she would probably just be a humble carpenter today.

“Looking for a place to belong… yeah. I know that feeling.”
She quietly agreed.

“Wonder if it is even out there somewhere.”

“We all have our place. Seems that it isn’t always where we wanted though.”
He felt odd after being so open. Felt like the cave in Aquilo, a strange calm and security in vocalizing his inner workings.
“Besides, you and the others seem chummy enough. Who’s to say you don’t make a place of your own after all this?”

“For that… we would have to even find each other again.”

Alexis looked up at the stars, much like she did in Ostiarium.

“Hunter’s on the run. Islana’s supposedly headed to Gra’akast as well somehow. Voah and Gonyaul… Gods. Who knows where they are…”

She took a deep breath.

“I just hope they are alright and as far away from the freaking inquisition as they possibly can be…”

Tarmen could only guess if any of them would see each other. He hadn’t seen Hunter since Voah’s Natalday. He hoped the man was well, wherever he was.
Alexis mentioning Islana felt uncomfortable, noting it as the same person Voah had mentioned as the Creed’s sacrifice. Definitely not the time to bring that up.
“I can only speak for Voah, not so much for Barrel Boy. If anyone could survive breakin’ from the church, it’s her. Zin knows I would have been killed or bein’ tortured already if in her place.”
He made himself laugh at his often bullheaded nature in battle, as compared to Voah’s more calm fury.

“She’s a tough cookie for sure.”

Alexis smiled slightly.

“So is Gonyaul, despite appearances. I feel between the two, they can make it.”

She affectionately flicked Tarmen in the shoulder.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice you excluded yourself from the chumminess, by the way. You know you don’t have to lone wolf it if you don’t want to, yeah?”

He pretended that the flick hurt more than it did, though he waved her comment away.
“Oh believe me, you’re all stuck with me and I know it. More out of habit to keep a distance at this point.”
He gave his own flick in return.
“Though you all seem to be makin’ it your job to ruin my ‘lone wolfin’, as you put it.”
He looked to the now failing fire, pushing the distant pieces together to keep it going before throwing another jest.
“Besides, if I didn’t plan to stick around, I wouldn’t have remembered any of your names. Should be honored I made room for that.”

She chuckled.

“What can I say? You just have that much of a magnetic personality. We just can’t help ourselves.”

Finally feeling a little bit of lightheartedness again, she smirked at his jest.

“I shall count your remembrance of my name among my greatest achievements.”