[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/D9OBI9j.png[/img][/center]

Her eyes sparkled with the distant threat of bittersweet tears as she watched him talk about his cousin.  You could tell by his tone that he had a close relationship with her.  Passion.  Family values.  It was all there.  It might have been her imagination, but it seemed that his usual annoyed expression somewhat softened as he spoke of her.  Funny how just one or two sentences could say [i]so[/i] much.  She brushed away thoughts of her own family that were churning up to stay focused on the conversation, which steered towards his counter-argument that she deserved an equal amount of credit.

[color=6ecff6]"...the whole time I felt like Apprentice looked" [/color]

That one made her laugh.  The apprentice healer [i]did[/i] look like he was about to faint.  In her own terror, she hadn't deigned to notice his comical demeanour.  It felt good to be acknowledged for such a difficult task, for it had taken all of her willpower and then some.

[color=6ecff6]"So thank you, Mac, you really saved him-us! back there" [/color]

Pursed lips in a solemn smile with a meaningful nod, she accepted his thanks, feeling a little closer to him for it.  It was a truly lovely moment - one that the wizard decided to spoil by changing the subject and sending a shockwave down her spine.  She bristled when she heard mention the name of Big Mouth and then James decided to double down on the blow by another accusation of...

[color=Pink]"Flirt!?"[/color] she repeated, disgusted.  [color=Pink]"I would not be caught [i]dead[/i] flirting with that [i]caveman.[/i]  I cannot stand him.  Hmph.  He is [i]far[/i] too cocky for my liking, he thinks he can just flash that smile of his, and get away with..."[/color]  And then she realised:  She was putting waaaay too much passion into this.  Eyes face forward, she paused, embarassed not for the first time since waking up in this world, but she gathered herself, then turned her ire on James instead, giving him a playful shove.  [color=Pink]"You are just as bad as eachother, to tease me so horribly.  I have a feeling you will be two peas in a pod before long.  Go and flirt with him yourself."[/color]  She shook her head exasperated, but there was a small chuckle in there too.  She looked ahead and saw Adam talking with Lillianna, imagining they were having a conversation that didn't involve immature unpleasantries.  Honestly, she was a little jealous.  [color=Pink]"Why can you two not be nice young men, like Adam,"[/color] she gestured ahead.  [color=Pink]"You could learn a lot from his example."[/color]

It was all in good fun, really, even if it was her that seemed to be on the receiving end of the teasing.  In a way, it broke the ice between them all better than most things could have.  For if you were relaxed enough with your comrades to tease them and trust they would not shoot you with their crossbow(!), you were more than likely relaxed enough to trust them to work as a team.  Even that aside, the conversation took her mind off her family, her death and the surgery, and gave her a breather where she could simply pass some time with a person she could call friend.  It was comforting.

[color=Pink]"I cannot call myself an Olympian, for I never actually got to Japan to compete,"[/color] she told James.  [color=Pink]"And [i]no[/i], I have never met Zell before today.  I was born in Lyon, in France, but I was attending university in Paris.  My dream was to win a gold medal and I worked hard to earn to a starting place on my national team.  But to be honest, my skills won me much more than a gold medal, today.  If I helped save a [i]single[/i] innocent by fighting those monsters, then that is worth more than all the prizes and honours in the world.  I am happy with that."[/color]  She nodded to herself, then looked back at James.  He looked the same age as her.  [color=Pink]"Where are you from?  What did you do before this?"[/color]