花 — Eyeing the cup warily, Jin takes it after a brief pause. He observes the liquid and its contents, clarity and viscosity. After determining its safety, Jin allows himself a small sip. His gaze never wavering from the woman.
“Thank you.” A low tone lingering with need of reprieve.
He sighs and looks her over, taking in minuscule details despite his blurring sight. He’s fine. He’s alright. A reminder to appear strong when weak, lest the enemies attack now.
“Why do you want to help? Is this for your self-satisfaction? If that is the case then I will not be requiring your assistance.”
“You’re welcome.”
Her response had been as soft as the rest of her speech. She wasn’t going to comfort him like she would have done with Nanako or her boyfriend back home, but she hoped that helped somewhat.
“No, it’s not for self-satisfaction. I want to help because of a couple of reasons. First and foremost is that a child’s life is on the line. Second of all, I have combat training with the strength to back it up. If nothing else, I can be a guard. You don’t…”
She let out a near-silent breath before continuing.
“You don’t deserve to lose someone you clearly care for. No one does. I know it sounds cliche, but that’s how I feel about it.”
Back in the Game 