there's a niche in his chest where a heart would fit perfectly
Sunjata's worry trickling towards him is a mere drop in the bucket, a handful of extra brambles in a near impassible thicket. Having Hotaru in his arms, and his sun at his side is a boon, a desperately needed soothing touch, but it is not nearly enough to outweigh all the concern, all the guilt. A spiral that he has only just been pulling out of begins to swirl anew, though it will remain ignored until he can tend to it, feed into it with misplaced blame and the dozens of what-if's. Right now though, it is manageable. Right now, despite the confusion, he is focused.
Mostly. The brush of fingers on his cheek, at once barely there and so obvious they all but burn him, nearly make Nate stumble. It's a touch he hadn't realized he'd missed, a touch he'd never thought he would feel again. His fingers tighten, just a little bit, holding her tight as they cross the final threshold of home.
A pulse of gratitude leaves him as he catches the click of the lock, once they step inside. "Kitchen first." He agrees in a rough rumble, stepping over the barrier of curious kittens, Pemota lingering high above him, her calming starlight washing over all of them, though that peace is distant. Nate sets Hotaru on the counter instead of a chair, the higher surface seeming more convenient. Sunjata has water, and Nate steps away to get out a pot, to start something warm, filling, and quick. Some leftover broth, some vegetables. They have bread somewhere.
No sooner is food in progress than Nate returns, quick hands searching for something to stay occupied with, and landing on the abandoned's leg. There's nothing truly worrying about the cut there, but he still reaches for the first aid kit, pulling out a proper bandage, and a cloth to clean away the dirt. Useless, considering they're going to go upstairs, to a real place to wash up, but he needs to be moving so he doesn't break down, so he can't even begin to.
"We missed you too." It's all he can manage, that telltale shine in his eyes as well, emotion clogging up his throat, making his hands shake. He withdraws again, to tend to food, to try and hide his face while he gets a hold of himself.
Mostly. The brush of fingers on his cheek, at once barely there and so obvious they all but burn him, nearly make Nate stumble. It's a touch he hadn't realized he'd missed, a touch he'd never thought he would feel again. His fingers tighten, just a little bit, holding her tight as they cross the final threshold of home.
A pulse of gratitude leaves him as he catches the click of the lock, once they step inside. "Kitchen first." He agrees in a rough rumble, stepping over the barrier of curious kittens, Pemota lingering high above him, her calming starlight washing over all of them, though that peace is distant. Nate sets Hotaru on the counter instead of a chair, the higher surface seeming more convenient. Sunjata has water, and Nate steps away to get out a pot, to start something warm, filling, and quick. Some leftover broth, some vegetables. They have bread somewhere.
No sooner is food in progress than Nate returns, quick hands searching for something to stay occupied with, and landing on the abandoned's leg. There's nothing truly worrying about the cut there, but he still reaches for the first aid kit, pulling out a proper bandage, and a cloth to clean away the dirt. Useless, considering they're going to go upstairs, to a real place to wash up, but he needs to be moving so he doesn't break down, so he can't even begin to.
"We missed you too." It's all he can manage, that telltale shine in his eyes as well, emotion clogging up his throat, making his hands shake. He withdraws again, to tend to food, to try and hide his face while he gets a hold of himself.
NATE
