"Do you find it difficult?"
I raised an eyebrow.
"Your job," she clarified. "You and Elva seem like you got the shit end of the deal."
It was my turn to shrug. "It's my gift."
"But it's..." She was trying to find the words. "It's a little darker than the rest. It's not exactly joyous."
My defences rose. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe she did judge me.
"I find joy in it." The words were short and clipped.
Her brow furrowed, and she leaned in towards me, putting a hand on my knee. "I wasn't trying to dig at you, Gray. I get you take pride in your work. I just thought it must be difficult when others expect you to justify it."
Her thumb was rubbing against my knee, and I took a deep breath.
"I gave up trying to explain myself to anyone."
She nodded, and I stopped rowing, letting us float on the water as the sun sank away.
"Why have we stopped?" she asked.
"You'll see. Come sit with me."
Quen moved cautiously, taking the spot at my side.
"I'm sorry if you thought I was judging you," she said.
I let out a breath and looked at her. I didn't usually care, but I didn't want her to judge me. I was well aware that what I did caused more issues than fixed them, but it was in my blood and people called to me. Denying my gift would have made me deeply unhappy.
"I know you wouldn't," I told her.
That earned me a smile.
When the sun had set and the space around us turned dark, Quentin inched herself towards me and I felt the nervous energy.
"What's wrong?" I asked. She didn't answer, and I laughed. "Scott, are you scared? Are you afraid of the dark?"
"No! Not the dark."
"What is it then?"
She heaved a sigh. "I don't like deep, dark water. It freaks me out. We know more about the moon than we do about our oceans."
"You can't be serious."
"I don't want to know what's down there."
I laughed heartily, and she thumped me on the arm before I pulled her into my side. Quen rested herself against my body, tension melting away.
"I'll do my best to protect you from any unknown water creature," I muttered against her hair.
"Rephrase that from ‘do your best’ to ‘you will’.”
"You don't ask for much, do you, Scott?"
"Not at all."
