[ People have said a lot of things about him, good and bad, from gratitude that they do not owe him to cursing his name for being a bastard. He can't think of a time when anyone's accused him of having a good heart, however. The state of his heart is immaterial; he does the work that is his. So he doesn't know how to respond to that, other than arguing with it would sound very ridiculous, so he doesn't bother.
He can only hope she does understand now, at least a little. And maybe she'll finally realize that she can't hurt him.
His only regret is that he's hurt her in some way, because she's crying. That was never his intention, to burden her with more grief that isn't even hers to bear. He reaches up to wipe her tears away with his thumb, the touch feather-light. ]
It's all right.
[ The words are meaningless assurance because he doesn't know what else to say.
But the trust, he can feel. Not such an unnatural thing, for people who have survived death together. And it's to his immense relief that he hasn't damaged that trust with his fumbling, though it serves as a reminder that he must take every care not to abuse this gift. ]
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He can only hope she does understand now, at least a little. And maybe she'll finally realize that she can't hurt him.
His only regret is that he's hurt her in some way, because she's crying. That was never his intention, to burden her with more grief that isn't even hers to bear. He reaches up to wipe her tears away with his thumb, the touch feather-light. ]
It's all right.
[ The words are meaningless assurance because he doesn't know what else to say.
But the trust, he can feel. Not such an unnatural thing, for people who have survived death together. And it's to his immense relief that he hasn't damaged that trust with his fumbling, though it serves as a reminder that he must take every care not to abuse this gift. ]
Yes.