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Rover was quiet. He listened to everything Scar said with an intense focus, as if making sure to commit every word to memory. He nodded along or tilted his head and asked all the pertinent questions- all the right questions. Gave all the answers that Scar was looking for as if he already knew them. Or, even better, as if they were on the same wavelength. Had come to the same conclusions.
He also rarely blinked.
When he did, it was slow. Deliberate. As if he had to remember that blinking was a think people actually had to do.
Scar wasn't sure if that was the strangest thing about Rover or the fact he'd barely reacted when Scar first appeared. Sure, he'd clearly been on alert- sword always held in his left hand so he could unsheathe it with his right -but there'd been no attempt at an attack. No glaring or hissing or even a threatening "if you hurt her I'll-!"
Rover had asked what Scar wanted, had let him talk…
And as much as he wished he could say otherwise, Scar didn't think he was swaying Rover's judgement.
"What really happened here? I suppose you already have it figured out?"
There was that slow blink again. This time coupled with a gentle smile that made its way onto Rover's face.
Gentle. Not the condescending sneer of someone who thought themself better than him.
And yet it almost felt empty. Hollow. Like Rover was struggling to remember what emotions were like and that smiling was something people did to show kindness. There wasn't nothing behind that smile, per se, it didn't feel fake. On the contrary, it felt realer than the words he'd been speaking during this whole conversation.
It just felt like Rover's true smile was locked behind… something.
"You're very adamant about this story," Rover said, bringing a hand up to caress Scar's cheek, slowly running his thumb over the scars under his glove, "and you're very passionate."
"Of course I am. This is a very important conversation we're having right now."
Rover's hand was warm- somehow almost too much so -even though his overall demeanor was as distant as it had been the entire time.
"Hm. Important… Yes. It is, isn't it? Whatever is going on in this world is very important." He said with a nod.
Rover's thumb was still moving back and forth, as if he was doing it on instinct. Without thinking.
"Exactly. You get it." Scar encouraged, unable to stop himself from closing his eyes as Rover's thumb continued.
A soothing, comforting presence that had him letting out a contented sigh. He could almost fall asleep like this. Standing up while basking in the gentle reverberations of the very sounds of the world around them.
"Yes. The world around me- around us… I can hear it clearer now… And yet…"
"And yet…?"
Rover's hand left Scar's face and his mismatched eyes met a soft gold that seemed somehow brighter than when they first met. Just enough to be noticeable.
"And yet I still need more time to acquaint myself with this unfamiliar world."
"What-"
"Sounds, come forth."
Scar jumped back just in time to avoid Rover's attack and almost didn't have enough left over to dodge the next one, but he managed.
"I'm sorry, Scar, but this is where we part ways for now," Rover apologized, that same strangely hollow smile still on his face, "but if you don't release Yangyang first, then I'm going to have to force you."
Now wasn't this was an unexpected development?
"Hahahahahahaaa! Interesting, Rover! I'm liking you more and more! Well then! Let's see just how well you manage to get this black lamb to do as you say!"
Rover's lips twitched as if in amusement. "All right, then. The show begins."
END.