[ His words have failed him again, and that only adds to the ache inside him, but even if he cannot use his voice to say what is on his heart, there are other ways of reaching out to her, if only he can find the strength to do it.
This long fight with Thordan has left him weakened and even the smallest of movements is enough to take what little energy he still has. The walk from the cells to this room required no small amount of effort, even with the support from his friends, and even as he sits on the couch, his posture slips as if the effort to remain there is taxing him even now.
He can only watch as Estinien takes his leave, but his gaze only shifts away from hers briefly, and once the dragoon has gone on his way, it turns back to meet her eyes.
As she brushes his bangs to one side, his eyes slide closed for a moment, responding to her touch and a shaky exhale of breath leaves him. Fortunately for them both, Thordan remains quiet, not striking out at Aymeric once more, and when Alkaid's lips brush against his forehead, his eyes reopen, and as if something in him is drawn to her feelings of missing his touch and his comfort, his arm moves, shakily at first, but as steadily as can be expected until his fingers brush against her face.
Then, his hand seems to freeze in place as if suddenly confused to find itself there, but he still does not pull away. She continues speaking, and how she squeezes his hand elicits another quiet sigh from him. Even when she pulls away, he remains still, eyes watching her progress as she moves about, even as she briefly ventures to survey the bath and the bedroom both.
Once she returns with the blanket and places it on him, and puts forward her question, his response is not quite immediate, but certainly faster than anything he has done previously.
His gaze turns briefly to where her hand is resting upon his knee, and somehow, that is encouragement enough for him. Once again, his arm moves, and even though the effort behind it causes it to shake, there is something akin to resolve in his posture as he struggles to complete the gesture.
It is not so much anything that he needs from her, but something he wishes to do for her, even if his sluggish mind has not entirely registered it in those exact words.
With how she is kneeling in front of him, it is not as simple as reaching out to her, so he pushes himself forward from the couch just enough to close the small distance between them. Once that has been achieved, his hand closes lightly over her shoulder, and only then do his movements come to a stop. But all the while, his eyes have been locked on hers. ]
no subject
This long fight with Thordan has left him weakened and even the smallest of movements is enough to take what little energy he still has. The walk from the cells to this room required no small amount of effort, even with the support from his friends, and even as he sits on the couch, his posture slips as if the effort to remain there is taxing him even now.
He can only watch as Estinien takes his leave, but his gaze only shifts away from hers briefly, and once the dragoon has gone on his way, it turns back to meet her eyes.
As she brushes his bangs to one side, his eyes slide closed for a moment, responding to her touch and a shaky exhale of breath leaves him. Fortunately for them both, Thordan remains quiet, not striking out at Aymeric once more, and when Alkaid's lips brush against his forehead, his eyes reopen, and as if something in him is drawn to her feelings of missing his touch and his comfort, his arm moves, shakily at first, but as steadily as can be expected until his fingers brush against her face.
Then, his hand seems to freeze in place as if suddenly confused to find itself there, but he still does not pull away. She continues speaking, and how she squeezes his hand elicits another quiet sigh from him. Even when she pulls away, he remains still, eyes watching her progress as she moves about, even as she briefly ventures to survey the bath and the bedroom both.
Once she returns with the blanket and places it on him, and puts forward her question, his response is not quite immediate, but certainly faster than anything he has done previously.
His gaze turns briefly to where her hand is resting upon his knee, and somehow, that is encouragement enough for him. Once again, his arm moves, and even though the effort behind it causes it to shake, there is something akin to resolve in his posture as he struggles to complete the gesture.
It is not so much anything that he needs from her, but something he wishes to do for her, even if his sluggish mind has not entirely registered it in those exact words.
With how she is kneeling in front of him, it is not as simple as reaching out to her, so he pushes himself forward from the couch just enough to close the small distance between them. Once that has been achieved, his hand closes lightly over her shoulder, and only then do his movements come to a stop. But all the while, his eyes have been locked on hers. ]