Broken Boulder daddy's ghost behind you,

for the first time in a long time, he smiled. crooked and imperfect, such a foreign feeling. and he wondered if rala had always had the fascinating ability to see the good in even the worst of...anyone. "dunno 'bout that. but i'll take yer word for it." he mused with a deep chuckle. part of him knew that if she knew the truth behind the scars, she might run. but a bigger part believed that if only for a moment, he had the potential to be a better man.

it was a good, fleeting feeling. one he prays that he'd feel whenever they'd run into one another again. 

there were so many questions he could ask. so many things about this small, vivacious woman that he wanted to know. things he probably didn't deserve to hear. had she ever known hardship? had she ever known violence amongst men? 

would she think differently of him, if she knew his truth? 

dolce distracts himself from those questions, forced another grin. he raises a heavy brow, a glint of something playful in his dark eyes. "is that so? reckon as long as yer one of 'em, i'd be just fine." it was bold, but it felt right. he could have all the women in the valley at his paws, and he'd still only look for her among the crowd. no one could possibly be as radiant, as pure. 

even if he feels like he'd corrupt that light, he's drawn to it like a moth to a flame. 

"i'll keep ya to that promise, lil' dove. don't forget about me when you get swept away, ya hear?" there's a pause, before an uncharacteristic gentleness steadies his deep voice. "i'll be waitin' for ya."