As Aonghas approached the Atheneum his pace quickened and he heard himself wish aloud that the doors would be open. Thankfully he wasn't completely out of luck today and they opened without any resistance. As soon as he crossed the threshold he felt his heart lift; he couldn’t think of another instance that he had been so happy about merely entering a building. His hands immediately jumped to rubbing his arms to try and generate any kind of warmth for himself with his shoulders hunched up to his ears.
Barely a moment had passed before the door had opened again and Aonghas sharply cranked his head back to look over his shoulder. A man had entered just behind him with a curious look on his face. Aonghas checked himself internally for not being more perceptive and striding to his goal with such tunnel-vision. He had opened his mouth to say something but found himself, in a rare occurrence, lost for words, so he was grateful the young man took the lead.
Aonghas took the cloak from him with scrambling hands as soon as it was offered and immediately slung it around his shoulders, pulling it tight and up close around his neck. “A kind thing to offer a stranger the cloak from your back, you have my thanks.” He heard the words leave him through a tightly clenched jaw.
“Apologies, I hope you pardon the intrusion. I got a little caught-out by the cold and hoped to seek shelter here for a short while?”
He hadn’t noticed it at first, being startled more by the entrance of the man now in front of him, but he had to do a double-take when it sidled up beside him. A small deer? Or something like it, was now nestled into his side. Again, he forgot himself and couldn’t quite help the puzzled expression that crossed his face. He hadn’t seen an animal such as this before; he was definitely a lot farther from home than he had initially thought. It was comforting though, to have the warmth of the garment wrapped around him and the small creature lending her fur close.
Barely a moment had passed before the door had opened again and Aonghas sharply cranked his head back to look over his shoulder. A man had entered just behind him with a curious look on his face. Aonghas checked himself internally for not being more perceptive and striding to his goal with such tunnel-vision. He had opened his mouth to say something but found himself, in a rare occurrence, lost for words, so he was grateful the young man took the lead.
Aonghas took the cloak from him with scrambling hands as soon as it was offered and immediately slung it around his shoulders, pulling it tight and up close around his neck. “A kind thing to offer a stranger the cloak from your back, you have my thanks.” He heard the words leave him through a tightly clenched jaw.
“Apologies, I hope you pardon the intrusion. I got a little caught-out by the cold and hoped to seek shelter here for a short while?”
He hadn’t noticed it at first, being startled more by the entrance of the man now in front of him, but he had to do a double-take when it sidled up beside him. A small deer? Or something like it, was now nestled into his side. Again, he forgot himself and couldn’t quite help the puzzled expression that crossed his face. He hadn’t seen an animal such as this before; he was definitely a lot farther from home than he had initially thought. It was comforting though, to have the warmth of the garment wrapped around him and the small creature lending her fur close.
