Drake's never been the kind of person you could call shallow. Obviously if someone's truly stunning somehow he'll notice, but that doesn't give them any advantages around him, and there's something to appreciate in everyone. From the first time he looked at Ephemera, it wasn't the scars he noticed. It was the soldier, strong and skilled. He likes Ephemera's hair at every length he's seen it aesthetically, but there's something about the other man growing it out that's even more appealing. Not just because he likes running his fingers through it, but because it's Ephemera's choice what to do with it now. He's not buzzing it for the military or having to let it grow because prison won't give him scissors -- he has agency in this small thing, and Drake likes that. So he grins and nods his understanding.
"New can be really good. Obviously." He takes a forkful of his own dinner, thoughtful about how to answer. "And I'm pretty sure... if I haven't actually hit it yet, I'm almost there."
In between bites he describes some of his encounters. He didn't plan anything, really, feeling like if he set this kind of thing up it wouldn't work as intended. You can't plan to give someone hope. You have to find opportunities, and he was sort of flying blind, but he tells Ephemera about how Pratt seemed to regain some faith in himself, how Jo seemed more hopeful about going to another world with her new family, how spending time with Lup even though she's aware of what he's doing seems to have helped her outlook lately, how he thinks he helped Nick reach out to his brother, how Carolina seemed to finally open up to him a little, and Klaus has been so much stronger fighting his addiction with proper support.
And that's six, right? If Drake is sure about those, that should be it. There were other tiny encounters that may have added up, if he was mistaken, but he's either there or really close. Except then he sets his fork down and just watches Ephemera for a moment, waiting for a moment for any second guesses. None come. No fear. He smiles softly.
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"New can be really good. Obviously." He takes a forkful of his own dinner, thoughtful about how to answer. "And I'm pretty sure... if I haven't actually hit it yet, I'm almost there."
In between bites he describes some of his encounters. He didn't plan anything, really, feeling like if he set this kind of thing up it wouldn't work as intended. You can't plan to give someone hope. You have to find opportunities, and he was sort of flying blind, but he tells Ephemera about how Pratt seemed to regain some faith in himself, how Jo seemed more hopeful about going to another world with her new family, how spending time with Lup even though she's aware of what he's doing seems to have helped her outlook lately, how he thinks he helped Nick reach out to his brother, how Carolina seemed to finally open up to him a little, and Klaus has been so much stronger fighting his addiction with proper support.
And that's six, right? If Drake is sure about those, that should be it. There were other tiny encounters that may have added up, if he was mistaken, but he's either there or really close. Except then he sets his fork down and just watches Ephemera for a moment, waiting for a moment for any second guesses. None come. No fear. He smiles softly.
"I've got one more idea, too."