[Nate has a tendency to fall back on euphemism when words fail him (which is often).]
Ha. Funny. [The little laugh dies almost immediately, because she looks raw and serious in a way that suggests her "world" is...really screwed.] You're not joking, right. Uh.
[When Nate was fifteen, he was cornered by an imposing woman and her small posse of armed guards, all of whom demanded he fork over an artifact that was rightfully (subjectively) his. It hangs around his neck now, but getting backhanded and shot at by adults didn't do much to instill him with confidence in their ability to protect him. Hell, it hadn't since he was five.
Her suspicion is warranted. Nate would be wary, too. Friendliness is often used to pull the wool over a lot of ulterior motives.]
So...you leave any other mines out here I should be worried about?
no subject
Ha. Funny. [The little laugh dies almost immediately, because she looks raw and serious in a way that suggests her "world" is...really screwed.] You're not joking, right. Uh.
[When Nate was fifteen, he was cornered by an imposing woman and her small posse of armed guards, all of whom demanded he fork over an artifact that was rightfully (subjectively) his. It hangs around his neck now, but getting backhanded and shot at by adults didn't do much to instill him with confidence in their ability to protect him. Hell, it hadn't since he was five.
Her suspicion is warranted. Nate would be wary, too. Friendliness is often used to pull the wool over a lot of ulterior motives.]
So...you leave any other mines out here I should be worried about?