[ He hesitates only a moment before his hands move, seemingly of their own accord, to tear a strip of fabric from his sleeve. He's always been careful with the garments he wears, the precious few things he can call his own, but when he sees her tears, when he realizes that he cannot wipe them away on his own, not without hurting her, it seems the natural solution. As carefully as he'd passed her the doll, he offers her the strip of cloth, motioning just the once at the tears that well in her eyes.
Quietly: ] I had no idea.
[ The gloves have seemed so natural that the fact that she'd be hiding something so huge comes as a little bit of a shock β she's been braver than she's let on. To feel pain at any touch is one thing, to subject oneself to such loneliness for years is another. He knows that feeling well. To wit, ]
We'll figure something out, won't we, brave girl? You've friends aplenty, here β someone must know how to free you from that pain.
[ It hits him again β that feeling of helplessness, of weakness. He doesn't know how to help her, can't help her. All he can do is try to find someone else who can. ]
Besidesβ [ he smiles, tenuous ] βI told you, didn't I? We'll protect each other.
no subject
Quietly: ] I had no idea.
[ The gloves have seemed so natural that the fact that she'd be hiding something so huge comes as a little bit of a shock β she's been braver than she's let on. To feel pain at any touch is one thing, to subject oneself to such loneliness for years is another. He knows that feeling well. To wit, ]
We'll figure something out, won't we, brave girl? You've friends aplenty, here β someone must know how to free you from that pain.
[ It hits him again β that feeling of helplessness, of weakness. He doesn't know how to help her, can't help her. All he can do is try to find someone else who can. ]
Besidesβ [ he smiles, tenuous ] βI told you, didn't I? We'll protect each other.