Orion was surprised at how she welcomed him. He’d expected a violent retaliation, a shove, a kick, anything but what she did. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him, joining him in the embrace he offered. He wasn’t sure how to feel about it, but he wasn’t going to complain. So rare had there been moments of peace, so rare had there been a chance to relax. The warmth of her fingers against his flesh was more than welcomed, a soft sigh as they, for a moment, held each other like people who cared about one another.
He couldn’t find the words to say, to even begin. Only a few moments ago the squire couldn’t make himself stop talking. It was such a joke sometimes, or rather, he was the joke. ”Wouldn’t be us if we did things right,” he muttered in reply, his fingers nervously running along the fabric of her shirt, somewhere between caressing and pinching. He couldn’t commit either way, something that was all too common for the young man.
A frown momentarily touched his lips when she offered to let him touch her belly, though she didn’t directly ask. A pair like them couldn’t be so forward, despite being nothing but forward on the night they’d met. ”That’s a good thing, right?” His voice was tentative, weary. ”I’m a physician, not a midwife. I’m afraid I don’t know anything here.” Orion gently stroked Hadyn’s arm, making no immediate move to feel her belly. He wasn’t sure what she would do if he let go at all, and he was so desperate for what they had in the moment that he feared releasing her.
But common sense would win out this day.
Slowly but surely the squire slid a hand down to her belly to feel for the kick she was telling him about, a soft smile creeping on his lips when he felt the child move. ”It’s hard to believe such a thing is possible, Hadyn.” Every time he felt it move, it was a just a bit more real. Run as he may, he couldn’t deny reality any further.
Withdrawing his hand, Orion took a deep breath and released her from his grasp, unbearable emotion building inside him. The squire turned from her, swallowing as he struggled to maintain his composure. "I've got to go. Sorry you had to see me like this." He took a step forward, the hardest step he'd taken in some time, and began his abrupt departure. "You have my thanks, for what it's worth," he said without so much as a glance back at the mother of his child.
His face was flushed red, and he couldn't give a petch about the rest of his patrol. He needed sleep, and he needed a break from everything. It was all too much.
He couldn’t find the words to say, to even begin. Only a few moments ago the squire couldn’t make himself stop talking. It was such a joke sometimes, or rather, he was the joke. ”Wouldn’t be us if we did things right,” he muttered in reply, his fingers nervously running along the fabric of her shirt, somewhere between caressing and pinching. He couldn’t commit either way, something that was all too common for the young man.
A frown momentarily touched his lips when she offered to let him touch her belly, though she didn’t directly ask. A pair like them couldn’t be so forward, despite being nothing but forward on the night they’d met. ”That’s a good thing, right?” His voice was tentative, weary. ”I’m a physician, not a midwife. I’m afraid I don’t know anything here.” Orion gently stroked Hadyn’s arm, making no immediate move to feel her belly. He wasn’t sure what she would do if he let go at all, and he was so desperate for what they had in the moment that he feared releasing her.
But common sense would win out this day.
Slowly but surely the squire slid a hand down to her belly to feel for the kick she was telling him about, a soft smile creeping on his lips when he felt the child move. ”It’s hard to believe such a thing is possible, Hadyn.” Every time he felt it move, it was a just a bit more real. Run as he may, he couldn’t deny reality any further.
Withdrawing his hand, Orion took a deep breath and released her from his grasp, unbearable emotion building inside him. The squire turned from her, swallowing as he struggled to maintain his composure. "I've got to go. Sorry you had to see me like this." He took a step forward, the hardest step he'd taken in some time, and began his abrupt departure. "You have my thanks, for what it's worth," he said without so much as a glance back at the mother of his child.
His face was flushed red, and he couldn't give a petch about the rest of his patrol. He needed sleep, and he needed a break from everything. It was all too much.
Please fix them.
