Do you know what it's liked to be hugged, when before all you ever knew was a hard hand? Do you know what it's like to have someone hold you and tell you it'll be alright, when before, all your life, all you've known is to be told you are worthless? I do. Thank you for your warmth, I love you, too. -- Anon Guest
It had been quite a chase. It had been quite the revelation. The mad lord in morning, the Earl Kormwind Arachis Felbourne Whitekeep, had not believed it at first. Yet there was only one person in the wide world willing to lay their lips on his.
"Hello?" There was still a madness in his glowing eyes, but it was ebbing. "I must thank you, yes? Shall I thank you? You're really here. You... you really..."
Cordelia said almost the same thing he had said when they had met in an underpopulated pocket of the undercity. Back when he was still masquerading as an adventurer. "I put my lips to yours, yes." She couldn't help but smile for him. "And I would do it again."
He was still recovering his wits, but he remembered the caution he had kept when he was working under the name, Kosh. So afraid of what he clearly wanted to do. She could see his hands flexing with the wish to hold her, or at least her hand. Yet he remained cautious. Because he was still a devilborn.
From what he had said during their time together in the undercity, Cordelia could understand his hesitancy. Teufellen don't get friends, he had told her. Along with a thousand more little hints that he was un-used to kind contact.
"I'm here," she said, offering her hand, "This is real." Cordelia kept her touch light on his fingers. Careful, since she had seen him flinch at others' unheralded touch.
He did not flinch from hers. He looked down at their hands in wonderment, extending his hold of her hand from fingers to palm to their entire hand. "It... doesn't hurt," he wondered. "You... you've never hurt me."
"I aim to never hurt you," she vowed, daring to reach for his other hand. "Though I did entertain a few thoughts about smacking some sense into your silly blue head."
"You would need a very large hammer," he joked. "I've been adventuring. Sense is not part of the equation. For the most part."
"I've done a little adventuring, too," she confessed. "Shall we be fools together?"
"The way you learn? I'm shocked you haven't brought an army to conquer the place." He believed it. Every word. That was what made him so wonderful and so infuriating at the same time. He had the highest praise for most of the world and the lowest derision for himself.
"That might be next on my agenda if things go poorly for us."
"May I--" he risked, "--touch your cheek?"
She would permit him so much more. But too much at once may yet overwhelm him. He was recovering from thinking her lost to life, after all. In that mourning, there was a tremendous madness. Half of it caused by her trying to contact him, poor soul. Therefore, she had to be gentle.
As gentle and careful as he was at all times.
"As you wish," Cordelia said.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / photocreo]
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