"You'd probably know if they did, Sean." Her words were said with a bright smile but a monotone, matter-of-fact sort of plainness. "I had my first love when I was a preteen or so. I figured most people fell in love around that age... I mean, I don't actually know how old you are, but I highly doubt you're not older than my little brother. You don't seem to be at the age you're afraid of cooties." Then again, he asked not long after about if he'd be afraid of children. It was an interesting question, one she'd easily help him test if needed. "Small humans are called children. And... We'll find out, since the house I need to visit before we go looking for some work is a house with kids. They're not insanely small like squirrels mind you. The youngest is around my brother's age... But that makes her pretty small compared to you... Five-year-olds grow fast, but that doesn't make them big."
"I've never really believed in cooties. I've never even understood it." Sean shrugged. "Maybe I should start looking soon, I'm the only person in my friend group who hasn't loved yet." He thought deeply. "If you want to test it, at least explain to the kids my situation, okay? I don't want them thinking I'm a weirdo... Then again, I am," Sean laughed, clearly at the cost of a small bit of pride.
The girl laughed and pat his back again. Oh, how she enjoyed moments like this! "Cooties aren't real. It's just little kids ways of dealing with the awkwardness of realizing the differences between boys and girls. People tend to be uneasy about things that are 'different', right? Doesn't make us weird when we are, though." Internally, she was beginning to worry about a lot of things. Would it be safe to let Sean into the house with a five year old, shy little girl? Was it wrong to bring him in with her as a form of shock therapy? Probably was, she'd admit. But he had to know the truth of his predicament. And, more importantly, she had to remind him he wasn't in this alone. "I'll make sure to tell them, don't worry. The only one I'm worried about really is a little girl. As long as you keep your sword away, we'll probably be just fine... But to be safe, I'll make sure little Lily knows you're nervous. She's a sweetheart, so she'll understand. She'll tell you too, you're not weird."
"Well, just in case, I'll leave my sword outside the building," Sean reassured her. "Who knows what I'd do now..." He sighed. "I feel like I can't relax now because of this dumb curse." After looking to the right, he noticed another squirrel around four or five meters away. "I'm sort of not compelled to run...? Let's keep going, probably some fluke," he explained, continuing his trek.
His reassurance was a good safety measure. She accepted it happily, walking with a silence upon her shoulders as she opted to not note the little animal as it rustled into a tree. Instead, she focused on the road, on her footsteps. It wasn't much longer until they found a house at the start of a town. "We're here. Ready to test yourself? If you're not sure, you don't have to come in with me. It won't take too long... Just gotta give some medicine and check on someone in here. Fell down the stairs last time I saw them, wanna make sure their vertigo's not so wonky."
"I think I'm ready," Sean exclaimed, putting his sword on the ground around one foot away from the door. "Maybe this won't be as bad as I think it'll be." He thought for a second. "Say, think the thing with the squirrel back there was a coincidence?"
His question was sound and understandable in this case, though she couldn't help wondering what made him ask it out loud, to her. "I mean... There's plenty of squirrels in the woods if that's what you mean. If you mean that it didn't make you attack it...Maybe you calmed down a little? I can't say for sure. I can't read minds, you know?"
"True." Sean sighed. "Okay, I'll stop delaying this, let's go in." He waved his hand in front of him as if to say "go on".
Solaria led the way as she was signaled, entering the household without knocking as she'd been told was okay to do by the particular family. It was only a few yards inwards that a little girl sat, snuggled in a ball while wrapped around a toy animal she kept warm against her little body. "Ceci, I'm going to go check on your grandpa with my friend here. Are you being a good girl today?" The little girl nodded quietly, peeking up at Sean with a curious expression. She murmured a greeting, adjusting so she could use a hand to wave an arm of the stuffed toy as if to have it say hello as well. Her father came and greeted them as well, which led Solaria to mumble what seemed to have happened with Sean in a low tone to the man's ears. He only nodded. "Alrighty, Sean. Ready to watch me work? Or are you doing okay down here? It won't take long."
As Sean walked in, he froze in place at the sight of the girl. Well, I'm not running, he thought, sweating profoundly. He waved to the girl before turning to Solaria and bursting out "I'm fine with staying in here" and sitting across the room from the girl.
Solaria would accept his words at face value, even if the young man was clearly not actually at ease. It was a chance to let him work on himself, she figured- and honestly, he'd probably just get bored watching her tend to some old man, anyway. Watching the woman walk with the father, the little girl watched him while babbling from her side of the room, questioning him about why he seemed too warm. She told him about how Solaria was good at helping people who didn't feel well and helped her often. With botched language skills, the child tried to talk him into seeing the 'nurse' for a check up too. It wasn't a long job, of course, she realized. Solaria was back in a jiffy, stretching as if she'd done some hard labor. "My energy's kind of low, but at least that old coot's all better now. I swear, this family reminds me of mine.. if we replace the grandpa with my dad." She giggled, turning to look at Sean. "How'd you hold up? Ceci wasn't that hard to deal with, was she? She's a good girl. So good sometimes I worry she's hiding things, but that's not so bad, in the end."
"Okay, let's go," Sean suddenly burst, shakily dashing out of the building before turning. "Oh yeah, right, we gotta ask around for people who need help..." He took a look around. "I guess I'll start asking around."
She watched him leave while giving the little girl a hug and hearing her whisper something idly, running not long after and patting the man somewhat roughly on the back. She was bigger than him, but she was still a bit stronger than he was. Size wasn't as big of a deal with strength, in her mind. "Let's check out the tavern. They're usually good places to listen in on rumors and stuff, and that helps find what kind of issues might be going on. Plus, I'm a little tired. Some water would do me good. Wouldn't it be good for you, too?"
"Hydration is always important," Sean grinned. "Say, is there a map feature in our interfaces or something?" He scratched his head. "I can't find any, I just run whatever way I think works."
His grin caught her attention, making her feel a bit more peppy despite the fatigue. Well, she never did let fatigue stop her anyway, though. Surprise took over her smile, however, as she stared idly at the man for just a moment. "You've... never used the mini map before?" She practically dragged Sean into a less populated area, beginning to show him with hand gestures how to get to the map. "Does that help? I can't believe I'm the one who knows this before you. I may not use it often, but it's saved my life. Seriously, don't forget this ever again." She ruffled his hair, a hand on her hip. "It's helpful for meeting up with people on purpose, too. Since this way you can tell them your coordinates so they can find you if they're in the same area. You won't know unless you ask them, of course, but still..."
