Quiet kindness. What a rare thing it was. No impatience, no chasticement for losing her head, no urgings to get a grip and get going... Possibly, she was lucky with who had appeared before her in this moment of insanity. Or she underestimated people. Wouldn't be the first time.
She wanted to smile back at the wry comment, wanted to get a grip and get on her feet, have the world stop making her dizzy with every glance. But perhaps that was too much to ask of herself. This clinging to the next step - getting a job right away - was nothing more than a defense mechanism. If she focused on that, maybe she wouldn't notice so much how quiet it was, how different the smells were, how odd the light...
Faintly, she became aware of Loren's hand returning to her shoulder. Only this time, a warmth seemed to spread from it. The ache in her feet fell away, and in her back - it was always there - and it was as though a blanket had been wrapped about her head. Soft and calming... made her think of sunlight and water, of greens and lovely, calming things. With a soft breath she closed her eyes, the mounting tension draining away. The trembles subsided.
"Did you... do that?" she mumbled softly, sounding half asleep. Fairly sure he'd done something, because touch usually made her more tense, not less. For... reasons.
She wanted to smile back at the wry comment, wanted to get a grip and get on her feet, have the world stop making her dizzy with every glance. But perhaps that was too much to ask of herself. This clinging to the next step - getting a job right away - was nothing more than a defense mechanism. If she focused on that, maybe she wouldn't notice so much how quiet it was, how different the smells were, how odd the light...
Faintly, she became aware of Loren's hand returning to her shoulder. Only this time, a warmth seemed to spread from it. The ache in her feet fell away, and in her back - it was always there - and it was as though a blanket had been wrapped about her head. Soft and calming... made her think of sunlight and water, of greens and lovely, calming things. With a soft breath she closed her eyes, the mounting tension draining away. The trembles subsided.
"Did you... do that?" she mumbled softly, sounding half asleep. Fairly sure he'd done something, because touch usually made her more tense, not less. For... reasons.
