"Snap Judgement"- Rian, Gurjin
The guards’ barracks are nearly empty the first time Rian creaks the door open, the pack holding all his belongings slung awkwardly across his back. The only figure inside sits facing away from him at a desk along the wall, obscured by a wild mass of locs. For a moment he frowns, and a hundred less than appealing rumors about the swamp-folk run through his mind, but he shakes his head. You’re better than that, Rian. Most of the clans can be guards, you’re going to have to get used to gelfling who don’t look like you.
He opens his mouth to introduce himself, or perhaps to blurt out some idiotic question- do you really have gills? how do you wash hair like that? is it true you eat swamp crawlies?- but he never makes it that far.
“Think fast!” the Drenchen calls, and before Rian can do anything of the sort, he just barely manages to catch a vibrant red fruit sailing at his face before it can hit him. It still squirts juice all over his hand when he squeezes it too hard, and he can hear the Drenchen boy laughing. He looks up to find a warm, open smile, tinged with embarrassment. “Thra, sorry, I- I thought you were someone else.” He holds up another fruit- from a stash in the desk drawer, apparently- and shrugs sheepishly. “Uhh….snack?”
Rian can’t help but laugh too. He has a sneaking suspicion they’ll get along just fine.