It's settling, fur or no. Something in this recalls to him holding onto Julius at the back of the prisoner's carriage, or almost lifting Petrana off her feet when he'd returned to Kirkwall. Derrica, drawing him close in the halls of the Cumberland Circle. It lacks the same context, the specificity, but carries the same pulse of need for closeness, a seeking out of comfort. It's calming properties, centring.
And something in Jude's words twinges hurt, the way kindness can. In the back of his mind, Marcus tentatively feels out that space where animal instinct lies. Carefully. Then, less carefully. It's still there, the wolf, responsive to sensory input, but quiet and locked down tight enough he's not sure he could change again soon even if he wanted to.
He should tell it sorry too.
Slowly, Marcus pulls away once the need to reclaim his sense of self overrides desire for comfort. In contrast to the sizeable wolf he just was, he's a much more medium-sized man, shivering and scarred in interesting places, river water clinging to his skin and dripping from tangled hair. This is the worst surface to be on but he doesn't get to his feet, half-curled in place and dragging his focus to Jude's face.
no subject
And something in Jude's words twinges hurt, the way kindness can. In the back of his mind, Marcus tentatively feels out that space where animal instinct lies. Carefully. Then, less carefully. It's still there, the wolf, responsive to sensory input, but quiet and locked down tight enough he's not sure he could change again soon even if he wanted to.
He should tell it sorry too.
Slowly, Marcus pulls away once the need to reclaim his sense of self overrides desire for comfort. In contrast to the sizeable wolf he just was, he's a much more medium-sized man, shivering and scarred in interesting places, river water clinging to his skin and dripping from tangled hair. This is the worst surface to be on but he doesn't get to his feet, half-curled in place and dragging his focus to Jude's face.