( catch-all )

[tzaraisen]

Who: Percival (tzaraisen) & Others
What: April catch-all, including aftermath things
When: April
Where: Places
Warning(s): will warn appropriately

Comments

[cajolery]

[ Because of the... methods her captors used, the evidence left on her is less visible—it only shows in the dark shadows under her eyes, the unnatural paleness of her skin, the more pronounced jut of her bones. There's a bandage wound around her wrist and another under her collarbone, but that's the end of it.

Mostly, she feels exhausted and weak—worn and wrung out. Her body aches from the liln even still, but tries to push it all aside. As might be expected, she makes for a terrible patient, too restless for proper recuperation—too heartsick to be left with nothing but her own thoughts and feelings. Feelings of failure, guilt, fury, grief, anguish—she's been through them all until they'd settled in the pit of her stomach, hollow and heavy.

The knock comes when her roommates are both out, and the quiet they leave behind is crushing. The sound is almost welcome, and so she shuffles over to the door to open it—

She stills, her eyes widening, her heartbeat catching when she finds Percy on the other side. Is she imagining this? He... he had... ]

Percival...? [ Without thinking, she reaches her hand out as if to touch him, to make sure that he's real—but she stops. Her hand, outstretched, quakes slightly. ]

[tzaraisen]

[ The wounds left on Clair's person may be more subtle than most he's seen, but Percival quickly takes in all of them. He feels his anger mounting with the knowledge that she may have suffered through an even worse ordeal than himself. He knows little of the other locations hostages were taken to.

As much as his presence might catch Clair by surprise (to say the least, it isn't every day one witnesses a dead man walking), he isn't entirely sure he can believe her existence, either. All of this still feels like a dream he'll be rudely awakened from. He fears that the reality is that he is still somewhere in The Storm, floating aimlessly and without purpose. ]

Clair. [ He starts to speak, and he's still getting accustomed to that, too. What should he say? He wants to apologize for everything— for failing to keep her safe, for allowing her to be kept captive for so long, for dying without purpose and causing her pain. ]

I'm not quite sure what to say or where to begin. I... received your message. [ After awakening. He hesitates for only a moment before reaching out and meeting her hand with his, lightly taking her fingers. She is warm flesh and blood, just like himself. ] I ask you not to be frightened.

[cajolery]

[ When he takes her hand, it feels like a shock—she even starts a little, her gaze traveling to their joined hands and lingering there as if she can't quite believe what she's seeing. But no—his fingers are warm to the touch, just a little too hot to be anyone else. Real. Alive.

Her messages... she can feel her defenses start to break down—herself start to break down. ]

Percival—

[ Tears well in her eyes and then spill over—she's done a lot of crying lately, but it seems like the only thing she can do now. Her chest heaves and her breath sticks in her throat—sticks against all the words she wants to say. I'm so happy and I'm so sorry and so much more than that—every emotion since's felt since her capture bubbles up inside her all at once, threatening to carry her away. Guilt, fear, pain, grief—and now, relief, joy. ]

I—apologize.

[ For allowing herself to be captured, for putting him in danger, for only giving him tears now. But it's all she can do right now—just cry and squeeze his hand as tightly as she can, as if she won't let go again. ]

[tzaraisen]

[ Percival likely could have handled any sort of reaction. He's witnessed shock, disbelief, overwhelming relief... but this?

This strikes a chord in him that he never even knew existed.

His gaze softens, the expression on his face dissolving immediately at the sight of those tears. He's normally made of tougher stuff... he prides himself on not being a man moved by displays of emotion.

But to know that he'd worried her this much, made her suffer... he doubts he can ever forgive himself for it.

He doesn't hesitate in lowering her hands and using his free hand to pull her closer into a warm embrace. ]

There's nothing to apologize for, Clair. I'm quite touched by your tears, but I wish dearly they never had to make an appearance in the first place.

I failed to protect you that day, as well...