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"Just because a lot of people do it does not mean it should be done." Thrain replied immediately with a tight lipped look, the harshness of it fading a bit as he rose an eyebrow in curiosity. Just because he wouldn't leave her right this moment to go rough some people up didn't mean he didn't care. It meant he cared more that he didn't leave her.
Not that he cared well yeah he totally did but also uh well anyways moving along on that point...

A nervous laugh left him at her warning and he once again fiddled with the tie on his hair.
"There is nothing I would try to skip out on you for." Oh yes that was why he was being all bashful suddenly.
But he did pause to listen to the mare, smiling softly as she began to speak. Except... Just standing on the path was kind of strange. Maybe they should find another place to... Stand and talk? Uh uh...
Not wanting to look as though he were uninterested in her story, he motioned to a nearby wall that was only partially still standing. It crumbled at both ends, but rose up to just above his waist and looked like the perfect place for them to sit and talk! Except uh... Huh... Could Yuzhi actually reach up there?
Thrain frowned at the wall but looked expectantly up at her in a small, unspoken question of 'let me pick you up?'.

Once settled in he turned an attentive smile to her, leaning against the wall with one hip and crossing his arms over his chest.
His gold eyes unfocused slightly as he imagined the filly's story, the smile tugging up higher. Even if the two Horsemen had not been at their top shape, Thrain would not relent upon the idea that Yuzhi could still take the War man. It was something that would warm his heart simply because she was so precious and tiny and ugh he knew she was amazing. Even if admitting that to himself made him feel fuzzy inside for reasons he didn't want to yet consider.
When the story was done he gave her a brighter smile and a curt nod.
"Though you may doubt your abilities now, I am certain you would prove similar should he try a rematch." Not that he would ever stand for something like that. Shik was an honorable man and while Yuzhi could undoubtedly protect herself, Thrain would just prefer to be the one beating people up in her honor.

His expression softened considerably after a moment, his hands uncrossing. One hand dared to reach over and brush idly against her shoulder as though dust had gotten onto her.
"That is very kind of you to stay after the fight to make sure he was safe."

Perhaps if Yuzhi had mentioned the idea that being teased had made her who she was, Thrain would have been more alright with it. That was something he could totally understand, as much as he regretted it having happened at all. Growth was always something he strove for, even if he was having a hard time getting it to work in his favor as of late.
The playful teasing, however, only made him all the more nervous. He harrumphed a little as he fussed with his hair.
"I am not nervous. But I am glad to know you would follow me." But why did he hope that meant more than just the way she intended it?

Since it had not occurred to Thrain that the mare could get on the wall on her own he waited for her reply. The lift of her arms made him smile and as carefully as possible he bent down to put his hands on her waist. Carefully, holding her firmly just before her hips began to curve out, he lifted her up and moved her back to sit on the wall. An odd sense of pride coursed through him at the action, as though he had protected her in some small, if silly, way. A smile curled her mouth and he more happily leaned against the wall.
"I have fought with Shikoba and am familiar with him. He is a grumpy man, but a good one. Sometimes he..." Here the man paused to make a small noise, a hesitation of his thoughts. One arm uncrossed over his chest to rub at his chin. "Sometimes his... Bad attitude affects Shaheen more harshly than I think he realizes. She is my closest friend here, my first friend here. And to see her hurt because of him... It is... Unsettling."
But he laughs at her assurance.

"I am sure that were we to fight now I would bow to your battle prowess!"

A cheeky, almost bashful save for how terribly amused it was, smile tilted the stallion's mouth up for a moment and he tried to cover it by quickly brushing the tip of his nose in a casual manner. To a trained eye there was nothing casual about it, the whole action stank of budding affection wanting to be quelled in the event it was too obvious, but Thrain was just a little too caught up in how curiously cute he found the way her hair flipped up a little at the part on Yuzhi's forehead.
Yet as the conversation steered back to speaking of Shik, the Guardian harrumphed and crossed his arms, huffing a little.
"That is the problem. Half his head is in his a**, the other half is sticking out trying to listen for a fight." Which was at once a compliment and an insult. A compliment because it meant that he found the War stallion capable of multiple dealings at once, an insult because, well, the obvious.

A smirking Yuzhi is a bit much to handle after she has been so pouty before, but Thrain only finds his smile going wider to reveal his teeth that cannot hold back a soft bark of laughter.
"It is a story that I have promised the Lady, and it is a story she shall get. Now. The question is, which do you want to hear?" Pride swelled within the man and he bent at one side of his waist to tap a finger on the filly's shoulder. "I am an accomplished man, of sorts, with many a tale to my name. I have fought many terrible creatures during my time on post, as well as here in Halloween. There is also the time Shaheen and Shik and I defeated a Titan while I sang a glorious song (that still needs refining). Also the time I fought some shadow creatures." That last story was not one to be proud of, but it was one he would spin in a better light. Couldn't have the pretty Little Lady thinking poorly of him!
"It is all up to you. I had my choice, now it is your turn."

If a smile from Yuzhi had been a surprise before, a great deal of laughter from her is even more unexpected. Though the mare has already grabbed a fistful of Thrain's clothing, he still places a hand behind her that just doesn't quite touch her in case she decides that falling backwards in her exuberance is a good idea. With a tilted smirk he watches her, eyes half lidded in a face of mild smugness. He feels half sheepish that he has made such a poor joke against a friend, but he is more pleased that the joke seems funny enough to trap this little mare into a fit of giggles.
Finally she calms herself and instead of removing the hand, he lets it fall behind her to rest on the wall in a most casual sort of way. Which does not at all feel casual to him and he's careful to rub under his nose once more.
"It really isn't making fun of him if it happens to be true." Thrain points out most helpfully, his smirk still present despite the soft blush.
"And I have never known Shaheen to do anything else first before speaking her mind, so I am sure that fighting is just a form of... Ah... Affection, for them." Not that he would ever call it such for himself. Idly he wondered the same for Yuzhi but quickly let that thought go.

Largely unaware of the fact that he was being clung to (mostly because he was very decidedly ignoring the fact he was being clung to simply by virtue of distracting himself), Thrain cleared his throat when the filly asked for a story. It was odd for her to get so bashful so suddenly and for whatever reason, the Guardian found the blush fading from his cheeks. It instead filtered down to his smile that grew a little more devious.
"Only if the Little Bird will sing for me too." He told her with a short wink.
That felt terribly, terribly, Goddess awfully bold and to cover it up Thrain swung his free hand out as though he were literally clearing the horizon in front of them in preparation for his story.

"Back when all those nasty Titans were running around the Islands, I had first fought a battle with Shik. It was short, because we are both excellent fighters, but it was not enough to sate us. So we found Shaheen, who had mysteriously gotten into some rather nice tasting drink that she kindly shared with us, and we made our way back out onto the battlefield." Using his most dramatic voice, along with a few hand gestures for emphasis, Thrain laid out the scene for Yuzhi. A mammoth Titan, a sentimental song for the trio who had become the Guardian's new family in this strange experience he called his life, a hard fought but carefully won battle. It was all told with the grandeur of an event far greater than it had actually been. But when he was done Thrain smiled down at the mare with more fondness than he'd meant to let show through his features. It felt good to tell his story, even a silly one like that. It felt better to tell it to someone so adorable and sweet.

"Ah, yes but... For friends and loved ones it is hard to just let fate handle things." Especially when fate seemed dead set on giving them all hell. "So forgive me for being a fool when it comes to this sort of thing."
He was glad that she ended things with a smile, for he takes a great deal of pleasure in her smile, but also did not know he needed such a small thing. Such a small little mare with such a shy smile evoked such a warm feeling. How odd...

Though Yuzhi had asked him not to laugh, the Guardian could not really help it. An energetic laugh popped from him and he leaned back to let his laugh filter up toward the grey sky.
"I am not laughing at you, forgive me... You are just..." He caught his tongue before he said the word he wanted to say and shook his head a moment later. "You just seem to have the demeanor of a wonderful songstress." Yes, that was a nice save.

The clapping made him grin and tilt his in form of a bow, swelling with pride at her praise.
"Indeed, I have made very good friends. But I am always open to more, of course..." Not that he was trying to imply anything.
"And you? Have you made friends here in our strange new home?"

And there it was, just like that.
A small cloud passing over an otherwise sunny day, the frown covered up the light in Yuzhi's face and Thrain realized with an odd pang why exactly he liked her smile so much. It was a reminder of innocence in an otherwise bereft of such place.
But the cloud passes soon, its chill lingers perhaps, but it is gone and things feel a little more manageable. If only for a few moments more.

Feeling momentarily cheeky, Thrain brought forth his free hand to tap one finger on the mare's head gently.
"As worthy as your opinion is, I am afraid you are not the judge to appeal to." He grinned in a manner that suggested he would have the final say regardless if she really wanted it or not, but said nothing else on the matter. Not that he did not want to say other things about how he was sure she had all sorts of talents tucked away in those sleeves, but he got a bit distracted.

With a small cough his whole face turned bright red, this time not even able to really cover it up with cleverness or another joke or anything at all. Instead the man could only sputter for a moment or two.
"I-I had not meant-- Friends was-- My a-apologies lady-- I d-did not m-mean that-- But I-I also did not n-not mean--" Actually talking would be pretty useless right now, especially when Yuzhi was bold enough to say that she had never even been kissed. Naturally that lead the Guardian thinking a very dangerous and slippery train of thought that he shook his head to dispel.
In his best attempt to distract himself from the thought, Thrain darted out from the mare's side to stand in front of her. With a thump, one arm crossed his chest to lay a fist over his heart, an action meant to show loyalty and not to ask a favor.

"What I m-mean is! If the Lady Yuzhi would not mind, I would... Would like to take her out then!" The idea of whether it was as friends or something more was an idea he would let her decide for herself.

Shy and quiet was all well and good, but Thrain gave an odd little side to side motion of his head, very close to a light stretch of his ears toward their respective shoulders. A hand once again rubbed under his nose, an action he found himself doing again and again even if his nose was perfectly fine.
"One of my favorites may not be one you know..." They had come from very different cultures, after all. Conquest was prestigious, while Death a fine balance between barbaric and well to do. "Perhaps it would be best to have you sing one of your favorites. That way it will be all the more lovely because you enjoy it so." After all, it was his desire to hear her sing. It was also his desire to see her smile and touch her hair but he was not quite ready to admit that second one.

"My apologies! I should have known! Er, have guessed?" He hastily tried to add, flushing all the more and feeling rather frantic. He had put her off, had made her flustered. Getting bashful would not make Yuzhi feel any better, undoubtedly, but it was just so very difficult to cover up his own red face and disjointed feelings.
But he had committed to asking her to go out on an adventure of sorts with him and that was something to cling to. With a deep breath the man steadied himself, going as calm as he felt able to go as he looked just a little beneath Yuzhi's chin, feeling her neck was a safe place to put his gaze.

Surprise clouded his calm when she finished speaking and after a moment he righted himself, letting the hand fall from his chest.
"It was not my intent to appear as though I were pitying you. For that I apologize." Curtly, not quite as though he were hurt but more so in a detached manner, he nodded his head at her. It was an action of recognizing his mistake and aiming to correct it.
"But I do not apologize for being so suddenly forward. Well, I do apologize for the suddenness but not for my question. That still stands."
With a deep breath he held out his hand for her, almost like he was offering to shake her hand again. Gently he let a small smile spread his mouth, slowly, as though he might scare her away.
"Now I will hope you are not harsh as I ask again... Would you like to accompany me on an outing?"