( small words. they're a reflex to some, though it seems they're so often an empty gesture, hardly meant. said out of courtesy rather than compassion. gene doesn't say 'em often an' when he does they come from somewhere on down past the soul of him. he has to pull them up outta the depths an' lay 'em out plain an' bare. his fingers flex, just the slightest bit on the man's knee. he knows what that gesture is, when ephemera goes for the knife. rare man who knows himself well enough to set such things aside first. )
Loss ain't ever an easy thing to bear.
( it's the one thing that howls in you. he's broken bones, he's taken shrapnel, he got knifed once, memorably, but that pain diminishes with time. it leaves you with an ache sometimes, like the one he gets in his hands when the mercury drops, but the physical ain't got no comparison with that which cleaves the heart. he'd face danger a thousand times to undue a moment's grievin' an' he guesses it's the same for ephemera himself.
he's still on his knees, he pushes himself up to a height so's they're a little more equal with the other man sittin', an' he sets his right hand on his shoulder. ducks his head some to catch his eye an' looks at him straight on, unflinchin'. )
I'm here if'n you wanna talk about 'em some time over drinks, yeah?
( ain't no pressure put on it. no expectation. just an offer, easy as you please. livin' on is a messy business, when you'd rather join the dead. )
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Date: 2020-01-01 03:34 am (UTC)( small words. they're a reflex to some, though it seems they're so often an empty gesture, hardly meant. said out of courtesy rather than compassion. gene doesn't say 'em often an' when he does they come from somewhere on down past the soul of him. he has to pull them up outta the depths an' lay 'em out plain an' bare. his fingers flex, just the slightest bit on the man's knee. he knows what that gesture is, when ephemera goes for the knife. rare man who knows himself well enough to set such things aside first. )
Loss ain't ever an easy thing to bear.
( it's the one thing that howls in you. he's broken bones, he's taken shrapnel, he got knifed once, memorably, but that pain diminishes with time. it leaves you with an ache sometimes, like the one he gets in his hands when the mercury drops, but the physical ain't got no comparison with that which cleaves the heart. he'd face danger a thousand times to undue a moment's grievin' an' he guesses it's the same for ephemera himself.
he's still on his knees, he pushes himself up to a height so's they're a little more equal with the other man sittin', an' he sets his right hand on his shoulder. ducks his head some to catch his eye an' looks at him straight on, unflinchin'. )
I'm here if'n you wanna talk about 'em some time over drinks, yeah?
( ain't no pressure put on it. no expectation. just an offer, easy as you please. livin' on is a messy business, when you'd rather join the dead. )