The explanation for why she was currently shoeless made him smile briefly, and in an idle manner he left a hand on her knee as they continued to chat. "Throwing your shoes at rats just burdens you with the inconvenience of having to get them back. But hey, he had it coming, could never stand his type. Reminds me of the kind of company my family used to keep, and also tried to force me to associate with." It wasn't often that he spoke about details regarding what his life was like before this occupation of infamy, but evidently he was inclined to trust her and make mention of it now.
Eventually the fact they were still latched onto a rock struck him, but it wasn't as if he cared, he just didn't want what he said earlier to slip his mind. "Don't forget, the offer of going where you want is still open. I don't mind staying here if that's what you want though." It was always pleasant when he was strapped into the seat of his ship, a sense of control and pure self determination that couldn't be rivalled by anything else. Having made the choices he did in life, one thing was certain, he couldn't imagine not being able to fly.
Socked toes squirmed. "They'll be gathered up. Hasn't been the first time I've thrown somethin'. Gellen prefers chuckin' stuff over me shooting them, so everyone's happy."
Curiosity grew in her expression. "Can't go far. Need t'get back sooner or later f'actual work soon. Though, what were your parents like? What type of people did you used t'be around?" She was openly digging into the past. There was much she didn't know about him and it felt weird to search for his public record on the neuralnet.
There were a few seconds where he had to break eye contact and look at nothing in particular, recalling the kind of people they were and maybe a few specific instances he could tell her about, when he figured out what it was that he wanted to say then his eyes came back to hers. "Parents were and are people of importance in Liberty. Inherited and expanded their own slices of an economic empire before they got married. Only reason they had me was to have somebody to run things after they were gone, and that's exactly what I was. A designated successor, expected to only do the things which would be beneficial upon taking over. But at some point I think they missed the memo that my life belongs to me." There was a lot that brewed under the calm exterior that told her this, his eyes said everything, the amount of hate he harbored for these people and how they'd meddled with his life was practically poison. "I generally hated people, used them to get what I wanted, but eventually I got tired of pretending for everyone." That was a brief glimpse into what drove him to drop off the grid and pursue the kind of life he was currently living, something that resembled absolute and uncompromising honesty regarding what his nature was.
Mary nodded along, though looked a bit distressed at what she was hearing. She tried to hide it by looking curious and confused. "So y'parents used you. But it's weird to hear y'say you turned around an' used other people. It's uh..." She trailed off, uncertain how to continue the sentence.
Instead she continued with a new one. "But y'changed, right? You don't hate everyone anymore an' don't use folk. Right?" It was a rough question to ask. She can assume all she wants, but sometimes an answer needs a direct response.
His answer was telegraphed by how he looked at her prior to actually answering. "Still hate most people I meet, stopped using people when I realized I could just kill them instead. Still, there's a few I tolerate and some I even respect." It was a simple and honest answer, he felt no need to sugarcoat things, lies took too long in cases like this and weren't worth the effort. Especially not when the truth was far more liberating than any other fabricated line of thought could ever be.
"Worried you're just a momentary fascination to me?" Apparently being direct, even to the extent of asking extremely blunt questions, wasn't unique to her.
She shrugged. "Yes." the response was as blunt as the question. There was of course many red flags popping up. But this would work, wouldn't it? Mary deserved something good in her life for once. Nothing bad could come from a relationship surrounded by death and murder.
A hand went to pat his leg as if reassuring. "Best not blame me after tellin' me you hate everythin' and everyone. Plus, y'avoided answering my question."
It took him a moment to admit it, but the fact he did actually end up admitting it after a noticeable amount of hesitation just felt like testimony to reinforce the sincerity. "I have changed. I didn't actually care about anything besides myself when I fell in with the Xenos, but it's hard not to like people who are fighting for my freedom too. It's hard not to like you either." He let the words sit for a little, saying nothing for the next couple seconds before speaking up again.
"I need you just like I need them." The words were simple but the tone used made it sound as if he had confessed some great secret affection, but he couldn't quite predict how she was going to react, this left a degree of expectance in his eyes mixed with anxiety.
She seemed confused by the response and didn't reply. Instead she leaned into him, though there was a degree of tension in her. A chime made her jump.
A hand snaked into her pocket to fish out her hand device. She tapped at it her thumb then groaned. "They want to know where ah am, an' apparently Jasp' threw my boots into the compactor." The way she said it gave the idea that she understood it was a possibility, or that it has happened before.
He half chuckled when she mentioned how her shoes were history now. "We'll just get you another pair, and hopefully in the future you won't miss. That, or we can throw him in the compactor instead." When he circled back in his mind and took notice of the fact that she was being asked where he was, he had something amusing to respond with.
"Just tell them we're having an affair behind the scenes. I think they'll just assume you're being sarcastic and telling them to mind their own business instead of just believing the confession." Tilting his head at an angle, he had to wonder if she'd actually do it.
She glanced up at him. "Oh they already know. Maybe Jasper ain't but th' crew for sure does. It's not like we were sneaky or even hidin' it." Having said that, a questioning look crossed her expression.
While tapping out a response, she commented. By the vulgar word choices she was typing out, it was likely directed at the formerly named representative. There was quite the
colourful description of the recipient being impaled in the crotch to finally give him a man's pride. "Were we hidin' it? Ah didn't think so."
