Wouldn't claim to feel the same we felt the first time it was heard
The agreement is more than Hester really expected, but combined with the look, her eyes rising just in time to meet his, to get caught in the seriousness of the situation. She hopes he finds something comforting in her eyes. She hopes there isn't pity.
Walking to the library does not take a lot of time, but it's enough to suck in a deep breath, to try and prepare herself a little bit. Hester doesn't stop just inside the doors, but tugs Glas to a more secluded corner, shelves between them and the doors. And once they're there, she keeps quiet, fingers tapping silently at her leg while she waits for something to give.
"You don't have to be sorry!" The words are out of her almost before his apology is, her hands coming up to knot together in front of her, that line of closeness difficult to cross again, no matter how much it feels like the only thing she can offer. "You didn't make anything awkward. I promise." A smile tries to pull itself to Hester's lips, but she can't quite manage it, can't quite pull it into what she wants. "I would have just left if I didn't want to help." She's trying to be cheerful, trying to be optimistic and jokey, but her tone is just a little too flat.
Walking to the library does not take a lot of time, but it's enough to suck in a deep breath, to try and prepare herself a little bit. Hester doesn't stop just inside the doors, but tugs Glas to a more secluded corner, shelves between them and the doors. And once they're there, she keeps quiet, fingers tapping silently at her leg while she waits for something to give.
"You don't have to be sorry!" The words are out of her almost before his apology is, her hands coming up to knot together in front of her, that line of closeness difficult to cross again, no matter how much it feels like the only thing she can offer. "You didn't make anything awkward. I promise." A smile tries to pull itself to Hester's lips, but she can't quite manage it, can't quite pull it into what she wants. "I would have just left if I didn't want to help." She's trying to be cheerful, trying to be optimistic and jokey, but her tone is just a little too flat.
Hester
