[There's that way that she looks up when he calls her name -- Tashka, he calls her. And she knows that she'll have to say something, not that they're in public together much, and certainly not around people that might know, but all the same. Just not right now. There's something comforting about the fact that he calls her that, same as he had before, and she breathes a little easier, a slow exhale and her lips curve into a touch of a smile.
He thanks her, and there's a slow blink of her eyelashes, the way that her head tilts to the side, watching him. He knows, knows that it's hardly easy for her to give up pieces of herself. Even to him. But the truth is that out of anyone, he's the one that it's the easiest with. She'd never even told Clint, although back home it had been far less relevant, more personal. She sighs a little, looking up to meet his eyes for a moment, her expression almost irritated.]
I trust you.
[Her voice is quiet, low like it's a secret. But then she finds herself nodding even as she sighs, eyes closing for a moment, and her voice is a little more even.] I know, I know. I look at her and I half want to tell her I'm sorry I couldn't stop him. I know it's risky. But I'll be careful, I just.. I have to protect her.
[She's quiet a moment, a long moment, lips thinning, as she tries to weigh how much honesty she's willing to give him. She knows she's in over her head on this; Sonia hits too close and neither her or Byerly are clear-headed on it. And if it's Wash, the idea of someone that knows enough to remind her not to drown doesn't seem like the worst thing.
Maybe it's telling that she leads with a question, a slight catch to her voice. There's that strange weight to it, like that first conversation in the gym, bartering information about themselves. The fact is that there's only so much she can give away for free.]
Byerly, he said you killed one of your comrades. Is it true?
[Telling, perhaps is that there's no sense of judgement, nothing pointed to it aside from a need to verify that fact before she can tell him.]
no subject
He thanks her, and there's a slow blink of her eyelashes, the way that her head tilts to the side, watching him. He knows, knows that it's hardly easy for her to give up pieces of herself. Even to him. But the truth is that out of anyone, he's the one that it's the easiest with. She'd never even told Clint, although back home it had been far less relevant, more personal. She sighs a little, looking up to meet his eyes for a moment, her expression almost irritated.]
I trust you.
[Her voice is quiet, low like it's a secret. But then she finds herself nodding even as she sighs, eyes closing for a moment, and her voice is a little more even.] I know, I know. I look at her and I half want to tell her I'm sorry I couldn't stop him. I know it's risky. But I'll be careful, I just.. I have to protect her.
[She's quiet a moment, a long moment, lips thinning, as she tries to weigh how much honesty she's willing to give him. She knows she's in over her head on this; Sonia hits too close and neither her or Byerly are clear-headed on it. And if it's Wash, the idea of someone that knows enough to remind her not to drown doesn't seem like the worst thing.
Maybe it's telling that she leads with a question, a slight catch to her voice. There's that strange weight to it, like that first conversation in the gym, bartering information about themselves. The fact is that there's only so much she can give away for free.]
Byerly, he said you killed one of your comrades. Is it true?
[Telling, perhaps is that there's no sense of judgement, nothing pointed to it aside from a need to verify that fact before she can tell him.]