26.Dec.12, 09:21 PM
She had reacted too quickly; it was obvious when she saw (too late! Too late!) that Talian had reached out his hand to her as well. It was a good sign, she realized with some surprise; a positive gesture, even though he turned away from her gaze and the twisting that slid across her face. Hastiness. She had been hasty! Instead, she set out the cup, pouring some of the liquid into it and watching the steam unfurl. Another cup, for herself, and she repeated the little ritual, letting the silence grow between the two of them.
"Well," she said finally, lamely, "It's been a rough time." For everyone. "I don't mind you using me to vent, if it helped at all." If it hadn't, she didn't want to know that she'd been his verbal punching bag for no reason. "I don't want to hurt you. Didn't. Well. I like you, Talian, and I think under different- I mean- Oh." She gave a helpless little laugh, wry and self-deprecating.
Instead, she sighed. "We could start over, perhaps? If I recall correctly, our 'hello' was over a girl bleeding out on the Sands, and then while you dosed me up on fellis, so we never got much of an opportunity to get to know each other."
"Well," she said finally, lamely, "It's been a rough time." For everyone. "I don't mind you using me to vent, if it helped at all." If it hadn't, she didn't want to know that she'd been his verbal punching bag for no reason. "I don't want to hurt you. Didn't. Well. I like you, Talian, and I think under different- I mean- Oh." She gave a helpless little laugh, wry and self-deprecating.
Instead, she sighed. "We could start over, perhaps? If I recall correctly, our 'hello' was over a girl bleeding out on the Sands, and then while you dosed me up on fellis, so we never got much of an opportunity to get to know each other."