"I dunno... I like to give people the benefit of the doubt," he promised, keeping his eyes forward even as he spoke to Thorne. There was a laugh in his voice and though he continued to feel an edge of awkwardness as he held Mare's hand, he tried not to let that shine through. "I'm sure I'd still respect you a tiny bit. I owe you that much."

Chancing a quick look at Mare, he shook his head. "It's, um, it's okay, though. I-I mean... she's helping us get home, so..." It didn't feel right to deny her request. Besides, was it really an imposition to visit again?

Deep down whether or not it was an imposition really didn't matter all that much. Mare may have been a fetch, but he could understand the wish wholeheartedly. He could understand what it felt like to be lonely, alone. He could understand and it was a strange sensation to have this sort of empathy, but it was there.

"I... don't really know if I'll have any interesting stories to tell." Aside from Other Ashdown, Jamie considered his life mundane. "O-Oh, um, maybe I could bring pictures of my fish... I could tell you about them."

That might be fun, he thought. With the tiniest of smiles, he gave her hand a short squeeze back and followed where she might lead.


elkbonessss


Final Word Count: 1524