Partners in Crime

Escape

"Like you are any better!" Dusk quickly fires back, crossing her arms over her chest, "Your face gets twitchy when you lie!"

She can't help but take note of his arrogant expression. It irks her, yet at the same time it makes him seem more... Approachable? Either way, there's something about this side of him that she can't quite ignore.

"Hey, I never claimed to be better than anyone," Xavia shoots back as he rests his hands behind his head, "And my face does not get twitchy. That's your imagination running wild."

Kana laughs heartily at the pair's bickering, her green eye twinkling with mischief as she turns towards the young woman she considers a second daughter.

"Relax, kid," Kana reassures lightheartedly, "I was just pulling your leg."

But her gaze on Xavia is appraising in a way that only someone who knows what they're looking for would understand, evaluating him not just as an individual but how he fits into Dusk's life and his potential influence on it.

"We should get moving before these folks wake up from their Datura induced nap," She says solemnly, gesturing towards the unconscious natives scattered around them, victims of her earlier arrows.

"Fine," Dusk grumbles, giving Xavia a pointed look before turning away and striding off in the direction Kana indicated.

"Same shit, different day," He mutters under his breath before following the two women.

Xavia could've sworn she just gave him 'the look', which means she's either pissed or getting more into this than she'd care to admit... Either way, he finds it amusing how her face twists when they banter like that.

"Ah, the enthusiasm of the youth," Kana chuckles, remarking sarcastically, "Same shit indeed."

As Dusk walks alongside her mentor, she questions her, "So, you used Datura? I should have thought of that!"

"Indeed, Datura is pretty useful in such situations where you need everyone out cold without any permanent injuries," The older woman enlightens cheerfully as they move through the dense forest towards their escape route, a hidden boat moored nearby that Kana arrived by.

Dusk nods at her words, "Right, I remember you telling me about that before."

"Make sure to remember that for the next time handsome there drags you into another pitfall, eh?" Kana teases gently while continuing ahead, knowing well enough how crucial it is for them not to be found by any awakening natives.

Xavia snorts at Kana's words, running a hand through his sweat soaked hair, "She drags me into pitfalls too," He shoots back grumpily, looking away from Dusk and her mentor.

Dusk rolls her eyes, a smirk playing on her lips, "Oh please," She retorts back lightheartedly, "You'd be lost without me leading you around by your scythe handles."

"Ha, lead me around? That's a good one," He responds sarcastically, "Last time I checked, it was you who got us lost in those spider-infested woods back at Tinymoon."

But Dusk leading him around... Doesn't sound that bad if he were to be honest with himself. However, he would never admit it out loud. He finds himself enjoying their banter more than he should, which bothers him because she's not just another person now. She's someone important to him, and that realization weighs heavily on his mind.

A weakness in his armor that can easily be exploited.

"Hey! It was you who insisted on taking the shortcut," Dusk counters, setting her hands on her hips defensively, "Besides, I got us out of there and solved our little spider problem in no time."