you know the first rule of combat?

He laughed on an exhale, well-acquainted with, if not necessarily a practitioner of, the flights of fancy she meant. While typical of children, those sorts of traits, he'd noticed, could last into adulthood. (And they had, in him. Not in terms of cycling through hobbies or occupations, but in his general treatment of people. Not the most appealing character trait in the world.) "Fair enough," he said, rolling one shoulder back in a shrug. Then, wryly: "I don't think ribbon twirling was much of a loss, anyway."