[ That laugh feels a little painful, she thinks. ]
Hm... would that be a threat, or a promise? But, I can do that. I'll haunt you and watch over you. I'd make sure that you took care of yourself and stayed—
[ Ah, she'd slipped before. She catches herself this time. ]
[ It certainly feels like a promise more than anything else. He isn’t sure what emotion wells up inside of him, a complex mishmash of them settling in his chest and up into his throat and choking him up.
Despite his best attempt to keep his voice even, it wavers. ]
[ Ah, that expression... it hurts, but it's a healing sort of hurt. She unwinds one arm to reach up and stroke his cheek gently before she tries to draw his head down to her shoulder. More softly, she adds, ]
Tears aren't a sign of weakness.
[ If he wants to cry, he should. He told her that, too. ]
[ She runs her fingers through his hair, slow and careful, and then just settles her hand on his back to rub gently. She won't comment on the trembling. ]
Then that's where I'll be. ...You've been so strong for so long. Won't you let yourself rest for just a little while now?
[ It's so easy to relax into his hold, to let him pull her where he needs her as her fingers continue to trace soothing patterns on his back. Is this what it feels like to be so important to someone? To be able to do something for them, even if it's something this small?
She'll keep soothing him for as long as he'll allow it, quiet and unpressing. ]
[ This soft yet stern presence is exactly what he needs, and while there is a small part of him that feels shame in accepting it as easily as he does, he can't help it.
So, he holds her tighter as if it'll keep her from ever leaving him.
He'll bask in this kindness for as long as she'll allow. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
You’d haunt me yourself, wouldn’t you?
no subject
Hm... would that be a threat, or a promise? But, I can do that. I'll haunt you and watch over you. I'd make sure that you took care of yourself and stayed—
[ Ah, she'd slipped before. She catches herself this time. ]
—stayed the Wei Wuxian I care for.
no subject
Despite his best attempt to keep his voice even, it wavers. ]
I think… I’d like that.
no subject
[ Ah, that expression... it hurts, but it's a healing sort of hurt. She unwinds one arm to reach up and stroke his cheek gently before she tries to draw his head down to her shoulder. More softly, she adds, ]
Tears aren't a sign of weakness.
[ If he wants to cry, he should. He told her that, too. ]
no subject
I want you by my side as well.
no subject
Then that's where I'll be. ...You've been so strong for so long. Won't you let yourself rest for just a little while now?
no subject
[ He breathes out, breath hot against her collarbones, before he relaxes. There really is something about her that just… settles him.
His arms snake around her waist, pulling her closer. ]
no subject
She'll keep soothing him for as long as he'll allow it, quiet and unpressing. ]
no subject
So, he holds her tighter as if it'll keep her from ever leaving him.
He'll bask in this kindness for as long as she'll allow. ]