It makes sense she wouldn't be daunted by sweat when she's covered in blood - a concern he only dismisses because it's clear she's an Ancient - but he was merely thinking of things like manners and politeness. Harper should have known better. This is Kiada they're talking about.
As she hugs around his middle, Harper wraps her up instinctively and tilts his cheek against her horns, scarcely willing to blink lest she disappear once more. They'd been so close once, and Harper has a track record of forgiving long absences at this point. No matter the time between she is still his friend and he really needs more of them right now.
The hug is therefore far too short, but at least she doesn't stop touching him entirely, hands smoothing down his forearms to settle on his wrists as they both take each other in. Disregarding the blood on his own skin he'll now have to clean off, Harper meets her glacial gaze and simply drinks her in for a moment. [say]"That's understandable,"[/say] he murmurs, forgiveness clear and immediate. A tiny smile lifts the edge of his lips; he's not his normal self, but are either of them anymore? Harper turns his hands to hold her wrists back. [say]"I've really missed you."[/say] He doesn't know what else to say. How to ask her to stay, even just for today. No matter how many times he asks nobody ever does, and maybe that's a pretty pathetically melancholic thought, but he thinks he's allowed it right now.
As she hugs around his middle, Harper wraps her up instinctively and tilts his cheek against her horns, scarcely willing to blink lest she disappear once more. They'd been so close once, and Harper has a track record of forgiving long absences at this point. No matter the time between she is still his friend and he really needs more of them right now.
The hug is therefore far too short, but at least she doesn't stop touching him entirely, hands smoothing down his forearms to settle on his wrists as they both take each other in. Disregarding the blood on his own skin he'll now have to clean off, Harper meets her glacial gaze and simply drinks her in for a moment. [say]"That's understandable,"[/say] he murmurs, forgiveness clear and immediate. A tiny smile lifts the edge of his lips; he's not his normal self, but are either of them anymore? Harper turns his hands to hold her wrists back. [say]"I've really missed you."[/say] He doesn't know what else to say. How to ask her to stay, even just for today. No matter how many times he asks nobody ever does, and maybe that's a pretty pathetically melancholic thought, but he thinks he's allowed it right now.
