#anyway had to get this outa my head. still on the fence about this worldbuilding bit. might get pulled. idk

[blorbothoughtsonly]

"It's- considered badly by most people where I'm from." She says carefully, abruptly feeling as though she has stepped into a minefield laden with her benefactor's good opinion.

"Including yourself?" Ruus asks, still clear and calm and unreadable as ever.

She stiffens, realizing with belated horror that her carefully-crafted answer makes a trap of an open-ended question, a level of verbal blunder so vast that she can almost hear the 'snap' of it closing.

The shine of his eyes gleaming in her periphery has a pellucid weight as he waits for her answer.

"...It's... not something I can commend..." She says finally, with great effort.

She swallows again, feeling the weight of that light on the motion.

"...I see." Ruus says, still unruffled, cool and unbothered. It's impossible for her to glean what he thinks of her answer.