open | with the sound of my heart

[sulahnan]

WHO: Athessa, Madi, Lucien, Skull, and YOU!!
WHAT: catch-all
WHEN: mostly Satinalia and later
WHERE: Kirkwall and The Gallows
NOTES: post-murderhaus h/c is gonna go here

Comments

[sulahnan]

"And then..." Her voice cracks, and she clears her throat, taking a moment to pause the very important task of petting the dog man man dog to ash the joint and take another hit. The exhale is tremulous, testament to her failed attempts at regaining lost composure.

"I had to bury other elves at that Inn. I didn't even know their names; just the gods tattooed on their faces. Faces I can't— can't stop seeing, now. Cut up and sewn back together and stuffed like— like—"

Blinking through the tears isn't making it any easier to see, so she just shuts her eyes and buries her face in the dog's fur, hooking her arms around him. It's not quite the gut-wrenching sobs she had released upon Colin in the apothecary after he healed her shoulder, but between the cold and the images fresh in her mind she still shakes.

[lumelume]

He leans into her, completing the hug by resting his chin on her shoulder and sitting as still as she likes for as long as she needs.

[sulahnan]

It feels like a long time, but in actuality is only a handful of minutes spent crying into the dog's neck fur, periodically wiping tears away with her sleeve in an attempt to keep him from getting uncomfortably soaked and snotty.

When she manages to speak again, it's to say something that only makes her cry more:

"One of them looked like my mum."

Though she still can't be certain that's true, or if it was a trick of the light or of her own mind under duress, the impact was the same.

[lumelume]

The dog gives a heavy sigh, as though commiserating, and keeps his head firmly tucked past Athessa's on her shoulder.

[sulahnan]

A cry of reasonable duration later, Athessa's breathing slows, steadies. She loosens her hold on Mado, smoothing down his fur and making an attempt to wipe any wetness off of him with her sleeve.

"Sorry. I uh. Sprung a leak, there."

A sad attempt at humor, before she smushes the dog's cheeks and scratches his ears again.

"Thanks for...listening, I guess."

[lumelume]

Contentedly smushed, the dog's mouth falls open in a friendly smile, his tail wagging again before he closes his mouth long enough to boop Athessa's nose.

[sulahnan]

"Okay, wet-nose," she puts her hand on the dog's face, gently pushing him away so she can get to her feet.

"Let's go back inside, it's fucking freezing out here."

[lumelume]

Rather than follow her, the dog takes the cue to trot away to wherever he came from, tail wagging cheerfully, his work here complete.