Robust health is a lie. No one ever feels as good as they look, anyway.
Her own appearance belies the harrowing life she's led, the terrors she's witnessed, the obstacles she's overcome. She would probably out-wrinkle him by a country mile if it weren't for the vampirism stunting her growth so many decades ago. It didn't take very long for Seras to understand why her Master valued human's ability to age the way they do; there's such beauty to be found in laugh lines and "crow's feet," dark circles and scars, especially when framing a charming smile. It all tells a story about him she hopes she'll get to hear from him one day.
She accepts the joint in her own, decidedly fuzzier little paw, swallowing her nerves before lifting the roll to her lips to take a drag. It's not that unpleasant, but it hits her almost immediately that her poor little pooka lungs weren't prepared to be assaulted by smoke. She hands it back quickly, moving to cover her mouth with both paws, body wracked with coughs for a few seconds. She waves for him to continue, not wanting to interrupt him.
By the time she's gotten her breathing back to normal, she finds herself transfixed on that story, the word 'goblin' alone enough to send a shiver up her spine, raising her hackles.
"W-wait-- you. You know him." she swallows, eying Bruno warily. It feels like her heart is going to beat out of her chest. Though, she's not sure if it's from nearly choking to death, or simply recalling that terrible creature's expression above her--
"Did he hurt you, too?" She knows she wasn't able to stop him, but did that mean... did that mean he was able to go on and hurt others as well?
Bruno has definitely got a lived-in kind of look, even beyond his careworn face. His soft, snuggly fur covered how delicate he is, how much he looks like he's recovering from something. It's quite a story, one he probably wouldn't mind telling except that it's kind of depressing.
When she starts coughing he rubs her back with one hand, making warm little circles, remembering the dreadful coughing fits it used to give him a long time ago.
"I... knew him. I'm not sure what to think, anymore. I... I could probably ask Otto a few questions, they knew each other in their home universe." He sighs, still gently rubbing her back. His gaze drops--he doesn't want to worry her further, but he should be honest. "Yeah. He did," he whispers. Then he shrugs, smiling a wry smile. "I'm okay, now."
He returns the joint to its little resting place and curls both his arms around her, partially to soothe her, partially to soothe himself, to stop his trembling. "It's okay... we'll get through this. I've gotten kinda good at it since coming here."
Seras wants to be upset. She wants to be angry in this moment, furious with this Norman person for hurting not just herself, but Bruno as well. What kind of maniac could bring themselves to hurt sweet Bruno? Furthermore, who else did that lunatic get his hands on? What other innocent person was he able to hurt because she couldn't stop him? She can't help but feel responsible for this, somehow, but--
But she can see Bruno trying to stave off those feelings, too. He's hurt in more ways than one, by someone he knows, someone who was a friend, and... he doesn't want to think about it right now. She thinks that maybe she shouldn't force him to. He's already curled up in his comfort zone and trying to calm down from it all, so it would certainly be rude to drudge up that panic all over again. Besides, her head's starting to feel as cloudy as the little blanket fort they're curled up in, so thinking is already becoming a little difficult as it stands.
"I'm... sorry I wasn't there to help." She sighs, turning to face him and nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck, slipping her arms around his middle. There's not much to him, sure, but damnit he's so warm...
"I'm just... so glad you're alright." Of course, she was less so, but... that's neither here nor there. She could ignore it, for now.
"You couldn't have known," Bruno murmurs, holding her snugly to him. Her face against his neck sends heat twirling lazily down his spine and he finds himself caught in an indecision. They're so warm here in this moment, this quiet, trembling point in time that could go in one of a multitude of directions. She can probably hear how his pulse has quickened, his breath coming a little harder around this pull of anticipation in his chest.
"I'm alright," he whispers, slipping warm fingers through her hair. "Are you?"
"I could have stopped him-- I... I tried to." She whimpers, gripping tight to the soft fabric of his ruana for just a moment before the tension in her shoulders releases and she just slumps uselessly against him with a sigh. She can't let herself get upset. She pulls back just enough to look up at him, offering him a sheepish smile.
"I'm... I'm okay, now. It's fine." She says softly, nodding her head, as if trying to reassure herself that this is true.
Seras leans in, bumping her nose against his with a hum. "As long as you're okay, I'm okay."
It always tugs a little painfully at his heart when people say they're alright even though they aren't. What made them have to hide their pain or sorrow? Are all worlds like his where you have no choice but to smile and keep going?
Best not to think on such things. There are much more immediate concerns. She's but a breath away, her scent filling his nose and wicking into his brain and he wonders if his own scent is as heavy as it feels.
"I am, I'm... more than okay, I'm..." His slow, whispered words trail off and his lips brush against hers, hot and soft and gentle. He goes still, hoping he hasn't overstepped, taking a breath to apologise.
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sandinmyhair) wrote2022-04-11 05:10 am
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Her own appearance belies the harrowing life she's led, the terrors she's witnessed, the obstacles she's overcome. She would probably out-wrinkle him by a country mile if it weren't for the vampirism stunting her growth so many decades ago. It didn't take very long for Seras to understand why her Master valued human's ability to age the way they do; there's such beauty to be found in laugh lines and "crow's feet," dark circles and scars, especially when framing a charming smile. It all tells a story about him she hopes she'll get to hear from him one day.
She accepts the joint in her own, decidedly fuzzier little paw, swallowing her nerves before lifting the roll to her lips to take a drag. It's not that unpleasant, but it hits her almost immediately that her poor little pooka lungs weren't prepared to be assaulted by smoke. She hands it back quickly, moving to cover her mouth with both paws, body wracked with coughs for a few seconds. She waves for him to continue, not wanting to interrupt him.
By the time she's gotten her breathing back to normal, she finds herself transfixed on that story, the word 'goblin' alone enough to send a shiver up her spine, raising her hackles.
"W-wait-- you. You know him." she swallows, eying Bruno warily. It feels like her heart is going to beat out of her chest. Though, she's not sure if it's from nearly choking to death, or simply recalling that terrible creature's expression above her--
"Did he hurt you, too?" She knows she wasn't able to stop him, but did that mean... did that mean he was able to go on and hurt others as well?
no subject
When she starts coughing he rubs her back with one hand, making warm little circles, remembering the dreadful coughing fits it used to give him a long time ago.
"I... knew him. I'm not sure what to think, anymore. I... I could probably ask Otto a few questions, they knew each other in their home universe." He sighs, still gently rubbing her back. His gaze drops--he doesn't want to worry her further, but he should be honest. "Yeah. He did," he whispers. Then he shrugs, smiling a wry smile. "I'm okay, now."
He returns the joint to its little resting place and curls both his arms around her, partially to soothe her, partially to soothe himself, to stop his trembling. "It's okay... we'll get through this. I've gotten kinda good at it since coming here."
no subject
But she can see Bruno trying to stave off those feelings, too. He's hurt in more ways than one, by someone he knows, someone who was a friend, and... he doesn't want to think about it right now. She thinks that maybe she shouldn't force him to. He's already curled up in his comfort zone and trying to calm down from it all, so it would certainly be rude to drudge up that panic all over again. Besides, her head's starting to feel as cloudy as the little blanket fort they're curled up in, so thinking is already becoming a little difficult as it stands.
"I'm... sorry I wasn't there to help." She sighs, turning to face him and nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck, slipping her arms around his middle. There's not much to him, sure, but damnit he's so warm...
"I'm just... so glad you're alright." Of course, she was less so, but... that's neither here nor there. She could ignore it, for now.
no subject
"I'm alright," he whispers, slipping warm fingers through her hair. "Are you?"
no subject
"I'm... I'm okay, now. It's fine." She says softly, nodding her head, as if trying to reassure herself that this is true.
Seras leans in, bumping her nose against his with a hum. "As long as you're okay, I'm okay."
no subject
Best not to think on such things. There are much more immediate concerns. She's but a breath away, her scent filling his nose and wicking into his brain and he wonders if his own scent is as heavy as it feels.
"I am, I'm... more than okay, I'm..." His slow, whispered words trail off and his lips brush against hers, hot and soft and gentle. He goes still, hoping he hasn't overstepped, taking a breath to apologise.