When Soh flinched, Tal did as well, but the tears that sprang to her eyes and the whispered apology washed away any momentary hurt her reaction had caused. Something was wrong, and as a child of Halo he had experienced and watched others experience too much trauma over the years not to recognize it now. In the aftermaths of cultist attacks or cannibal raids the survivors always paid a price that lingered long after their physical scars had faded, but Soh's injuries were still fresh and even if he didn't know exactly what had happened he knew it had been bad.
She let him in, at least, and he followed quietly, closing the door gently before turning to look her over properly now that he was inside and could see her.
Never good at hiding his expression, his features shifted to grim lines as he took in her careless disarray and the shaking misery of his friend. He saw the knife, too, though he missed the blood at first as his gaze went quickly back to her face, even more worried about her now. "Okay," he said softly, talking to her like he would to one of his dogs that was injured, low and gentle. "It's okay. Let's start with tea, yeah?" Maybe it was rude but he didn't wait for his hostess to lead the way. He headed up the stairs first, throwing constant looks back over his shoulder to make sure she was following but it was Tal who headed for the little kitchen to put the kettle on and rummage for mugs and tea. He'd helped her put the place together, at least, so he mostly knew where things were as, in between his bustling, he urged her to sit down in the comfiest chair she had.
She let him in, at least, and he followed quietly, closing the door gently before turning to look her over properly now that he was inside and could see her.
Never good at hiding his expression, his features shifted to grim lines as he took in her careless disarray and the shaking misery of his friend. He saw the knife, too, though he missed the blood at first as his gaze went quickly back to her face, even more worried about her now. "Okay," he said softly, talking to her like he would to one of his dogs that was injured, low and gentle. "It's okay. Let's start with tea, yeah?" Maybe it was rude but he didn't wait for his hostess to lead the way. He headed up the stairs first, throwing constant looks back over his shoulder to make sure she was following but it was Tal who headed for the little kitchen to put the kettle on and rummage for mugs and tea. He'd helped her put the place together, at least, so he mostly knew where things were as, in between his bustling, he urged her to sit down in the comfiest chair she had.
