05-20-2020, 06:34 PM
Raffe’s brows rose. He laughed, nudging Nox in the ribs. “Swanky? Haven’t got to impress me, you know.”
He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but an estate probably wasn’t it. The place was huge; a veritable mansion, and Raffe felt pretty small in the centre of it. Kallisti was grand, but it was all artifice -- a lie wrapped up in pretty ribbon to sell to the customers, and therein was the joke. He didn’t think he’d ever even set foot somewhere like this, and for a brief moment he reflected on his old clothes and the scar at his throat, resisting the urge to rub it under his palm. Not that the man who welcomed them on the threshold was anything but welcoming. Raffe shook Christian’s hand, personable with his own greeting even if he felt somewhat out of his depth. People were people, and Raffe was not inclined to judge. Rather, he adapted quickly.
He followed Nox down to the basement. He was insanely curious, but there was little personal to be seen, and nothing to suggest the essence of who he understood Nox to really be. Raffe had never had the disposable income to furnish his own room as he’d like, but even at Kallisti he’d splashed it with a sense of homeliness. Plants crowded the windowsill, and his bedsheets were colourful and clashing. Though home had always been a somewhat mobile concept, and even Kallisti had only been home since his injury, it had always been important to him, that sense of belonging. This was functional; a life built for purpose.
Still, he took it all in eagerly, offered glimpse that it was into a new facet of the man he quite suddenly realised had drawn uncharacteristically quiet.
Raffe twisted round, hands dug into his pockets. Surprise flared his expression, then concern.
“You’re worried,” he accused softly. “About the Atharim guy? I promise to stay out of the way if you need me too, I won’t be a burden. Unless it’s … well, I mean they clearly miss you.” His chin gestured upwards, meaning the household Nox had escaped to find sanctuary in Kallisti’s walls. They’d spoken of happiness before; words that still warmed Raffe from the inside out. He drew closer, expression soft, wanting to pull Nox out of whatever private nostalgia drew him pensive. There were probably memories here, maybe not good ones. “It must be strange being back?” He brushed his hand along Nox's arm, like it might draw him to speak. He wanted the man like he wanted to breathe, but he wasn't a base fumble either.
He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but an estate probably wasn’t it. The place was huge; a veritable mansion, and Raffe felt pretty small in the centre of it. Kallisti was grand, but it was all artifice -- a lie wrapped up in pretty ribbon to sell to the customers, and therein was the joke. He didn’t think he’d ever even set foot somewhere like this, and for a brief moment he reflected on his old clothes and the scar at his throat, resisting the urge to rub it under his palm. Not that the man who welcomed them on the threshold was anything but welcoming. Raffe shook Christian’s hand, personable with his own greeting even if he felt somewhat out of his depth. People were people, and Raffe was not inclined to judge. Rather, he adapted quickly.
He followed Nox down to the basement. He was insanely curious, but there was little personal to be seen, and nothing to suggest the essence of who he understood Nox to really be. Raffe had never had the disposable income to furnish his own room as he’d like, but even at Kallisti he’d splashed it with a sense of homeliness. Plants crowded the windowsill, and his bedsheets were colourful and clashing. Though home had always been a somewhat mobile concept, and even Kallisti had only been home since his injury, it had always been important to him, that sense of belonging. This was functional; a life built for purpose.
Still, he took it all in eagerly, offered glimpse that it was into a new facet of the man he quite suddenly realised had drawn uncharacteristically quiet.
Raffe twisted round, hands dug into his pockets. Surprise flared his expression, then concern.
“You’re worried,” he accused softly. “About the Atharim guy? I promise to stay out of the way if you need me too, I won’t be a burden. Unless it’s … well, I mean they clearly miss you.” His chin gestured upwards, meaning the household Nox had escaped to find sanctuary in Kallisti’s walls. They’d spoken of happiness before; words that still warmed Raffe from the inside out. He drew closer, expression soft, wanting to pull Nox out of whatever private nostalgia drew him pensive. There were probably memories here, maybe not good ones. “It must be strange being back?” He brushed his hand along Nox's arm, like it might draw him to speak. He wanted the man like he wanted to breathe, but he wasn't a base fumble either.