Mec nodded idly as he listened to Shallan's response to his question, giving her time to speak her mind. He dug his toe into the ground, although the brick beneath him rendered this action to be an endless endeavor. His gaze reflected back and forth, between both his companion and the passing crowd before them. It was surprising how many people had actually attended the show, and Mec wondered how much money was involved. Many of the patrons in the outskirts were simply onlookers who contributed no coin whatsoever, but each one of them could be a potential customer for the Purpleberry later. After all, who would not want to enjoy a dance with the beauties they saw on stage, or outdrink a prince?
Despite all of this, it was unlikely that the Misfits were amassing much in regards to wealth. Clair's diligence in making sure the needs of all of the members were met, or exceeded rather, surely came at a hefty expense. Not every town was going to be as lucrative, and not every show was a hit either. It was different from Mec's family's business, which relied on ensuring the town's residents would return to stock up on their needs on a regular basis. The entertainment business seemed much more volatile, and truly required a passion for the craft. Was Mec's desire to train his powers a passion? Did he feel as strongly about it as Clair may have been about the troupe, or even Shallan and her sort of apprenticeship?
Mec snapped out of his thoughts, hearing the pitch of Shallan's voice rise slightly as she asked her first question. Had he only been partially listening this whole time? Luckily, the question needed no answer, and Shallan had another to ask. Realizing Shallan was revisiting their little game that they had been playing earlier, Mec could not help but allow a small grin to grace his visage. "You think so?" He paused for a long moment, battling with his thoughts. His smile grew a little wider, and he turned his head away to avoid eye contact. A small chuckle tried to escape his throat, but he suppressed it into a whispery exhale in an attempt to mask his sudden bashfulness. After taking a long breath, he returned his attention towards Shallan again. "I hope you're right. In fact, I had something I was hoping to give her next time we had a moment together."
He reached for the small pouch that harbored the gift he had spontaneously decided to acquire only a short while before the show. There would surely be plenty of opportunities in the future for him to present the thing, and they may very well have been at a better time or in a better place, but he had just decided that waiting for the perfect moment was a useless endeavor. Although they jested about Shallan's absenteeism, it was still a reality. Between Shallan's efforts and her training, and Mec's own contributions and personal pursuits, they may very well only have downtime when the needs of the troupe allowed them to.
"So, I was wondering," he continued, letting the game go on. "Since you have a better eye for these things, if you could tell me what you think?" His fingers danced around the edges of the pouch, slowly loosening the drawstring, but in no hurry to reveal the contents. "I just thought that maybe, y'know, since she has been working so hard lately, that some kind of reward is in order. I-it's just a little thing, actually, so if you don't think she'd like it then I don't need to give it to her." His last sentence was annexed on in a rush, a sudden nervousness and self-consciousness creeping out as he thought about how modest the gift actually was. Despite this, he continued to proceed with pulling the silver chain from the pouch, each link shimmering in the light of the setting sun as they entered its embrace, until finally the bright white pearl was revealed. The smooth, white, orb glistened in the light, tinged slightly orange as it reflected the sun's rays.
Mec clenched the pouch in one palm as he draped the necklace across the other, presenting it to Shallan. "Think she might like it?"
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