[ So he pulls back a little and smiles, his arm disengaging mindfully from around her. In a way and with an expression that's gentle and a bit hard to read, shrouded by the longer sweeps of hair that still frame either side of his face, so very infinitely fond it's like it hurts him a little to—and reaches to touch her face instead with his ungloved right hand.
(Because yes, he'd fallen asleep with his gloves on earlier before tugging that one off. Black waistcoat and bright red tie as well; you'd never guess he'd been dozing with as trimly composed and formally dressed that he is—but then he generally always is.)
But just barely and so lightly, fingertips fanned lightly along the rise of her cheekbone. The way someone might touch in quiet reverence— ]
I'm sorry, I didn't get to say it earlier.. [ —or with a light stroke of his thumb...
..to soothe and say it's alright. ]
But welcome back, Lux.
[ And like that, said softly with a mixed kind of gratitude... it's as close as he'll get to acknowledging the fear over the weeks that she, like others, would fade away entirely. ]
2/2
(Because yes, he'd fallen asleep with his gloves on earlier before tugging that one off. Black waistcoat and bright red tie as well; you'd never guess he'd been dozing with as trimly composed and formally dressed that he is—but then he generally always is.)
But just barely and so lightly, fingertips fanned lightly along the rise of her cheekbone. The way someone might touch in quiet reverence— ]
I'm sorry, I didn't get to say it earlier.. [ —or with a light stroke of his thumb...
..to soothe and say it's alright. ]
But welcome back, Lux.
[ And like that, said softly with a mixed kind of gratitude... it's as close as he'll get to acknowledging the fear over the weeks that she, like others, would fade away entirely. ]