04-15-2020, 10:37 PM
Raffe listened, interjecting on occasion, but mostly absorbing it all quietly, even when Nox took the time to collect himself. It was an otherwordly story, containing more facts about the supernatural than he could truly process so quickly -- beyond the sudden and sharp realisation that Nox’s life was so drastically different from anything he had ever known, even with Kallisti’s small forays into things he had once considered strange. He leaned forward to process, looping his elbows over his knees, brows pressed down.
“I’m sorry about Nova,” he said quietly. His gaze drew in their surroundings blankly. He was trying hard not to think back, but it proved impossible. The stab of tears he had not seen because of the darkness. The bloody gash of the dog’s neck. He scrubbed his own face harshly, and sucked in a breath.
The word infected swam in his brain. He remembered the swaying of those glittering eyes, even though he had been focused on Sterling at the time. He remembered the way they had seemed to listen.
Eventually he leaned back, shoulder pressed to shoulder, painfully aware that Nox might read any number of things into the silence, but too overwhelmed to find words. After his recovery from Kasun’s attack, Raffe had joined the other man in the isolation of his room. And forgiven him. He wasn’t afraid of Nox, even though the rush of his confession suggested there might be good reason. But he was afraid. Of being left behind. Of having no value in Nox’s strange life.
His head rolled, seeking to study the other man’s profile. He didn’t see a monster, just tired lines of worry. Raffe shifted the arm that lay between them, hand palm up in invitation. He could be that lifeline if little else; a raft to humanity. “But you’re in control of them? Not them of you?”
“I’m sorry about Nova,” he said quietly. His gaze drew in their surroundings blankly. He was trying hard not to think back, but it proved impossible. The stab of tears he had not seen because of the darkness. The bloody gash of the dog’s neck. He scrubbed his own face harshly, and sucked in a breath.
The word infected swam in his brain. He remembered the swaying of those glittering eyes, even though he had been focused on Sterling at the time. He remembered the way they had seemed to listen.
Eventually he leaned back, shoulder pressed to shoulder, painfully aware that Nox might read any number of things into the silence, but too overwhelmed to find words. After his recovery from Kasun’s attack, Raffe had joined the other man in the isolation of his room. And forgiven him. He wasn’t afraid of Nox, even though the rush of his confession suggested there might be good reason. But he was afraid. Of being left behind. Of having no value in Nox’s strange life.
His head rolled, seeking to study the other man’s profile. He didn’t see a monster, just tired lines of worry. Raffe shifted the arm that lay between them, hand palm up in invitation. He could be that lifeline if little else; a raft to humanity. “But you’re in control of them? Not them of you?”