Tal seemed to relax as people drifted away, shoulders lifting and spine straightening from the self-conscious curve that had afflicted him when he was the center of attention. He stood in front of the fire, warming his hands once he'd deposited his load of kindling.
He relaxed further at Deimos's clear opinion on Neron, giving a sharp nod of grim agreement. "Yeah... thanks." He accepted the condolences awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck again as he shrugged at the confirmation that the General had never known his father. "I think he would have liked you, though. Wasn't always good at showing it but..." Tal trailed off, looking around desperately for inspiration on where to take a conversation he hadn't planned out this far.
"Uh... D'you... know anything about fighting with axes?" he asked, eyes lighting on a weapon in a nearby rack.
He relaxed further at Deimos's clear opinion on Neron, giving a sharp nod of grim agreement. "Yeah... thanks." He accepted the condolences awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck again as he shrugged at the confirmation that the General had never known his father. "I think he would have liked you, though. Wasn't always good at showing it but..." Tal trailed off, looking around desperately for inspiration on where to take a conversation he hadn't planned out this far.
"Uh... D'you... know anything about fighting with axes?" he asked, eyes lighting on a weapon in a nearby rack.
