[ Though his general detachment from that feeling of panic and dread isn't intentional — it's just who and what he is now — in this moment (and other moments) it seems like he sometimes has the unintended effect of being steadier than maybe others around him, and in turn, maybe that helps them. Though lacking the conscious thought of, I need to help her feel less panicked, he seems to have — done something for her. She steadies herself, at the same time she silently steadies him. She probably has no idea she does, and he wouldn't know how to say it anyway, wouldn't be able to connect the dots enough that way.
He can't think of how to voice aloud what he's feeling, because it's so faint and unfamiliar, a heaviness around him and on him, and all he can do is breathe through it, be with her in this moment and the next.
What he's seen here already — glimpses of his past — are enough to rattle him, but also to turn him swiftly to action. In another situation, it would be enough for him to want to take those feelings out on something, someone, but it — settles him. That she's here. It's what she says, too, that makes that even truer. Start to see things you've never told anyone. ]
Yeah, that — [ With his left hand, he briefly rubs at the back of his neck, spares a glance at her. Is that why his neck felt hot? Like something burning him? This feeling like something hurt, but he didn't know why, and he might have gotten lost in it, too, but she was about to go...somewhere. He might not have been able to pull her back. And he figured he needed to try and grab her from whatever had a hold on her. What she's saying doesn't sound crazy, though. Not even close. ]
Both of us. [ This, he decides, is enough said for now. They get it. And this place is more than it seems. He starts rifling through every drawer he can find for something that would have a code of any kind. That water's still creeping, sloshing, but he has less of a feeling like they might drown here, like it's...settled down a little maybe? Just another fucked thing about this place. His fingers touch something, though, a binder of some kind, and he pulls it out, brings it close so she can see. ]
Instructions — right, couldn't start with that.
[ Despite the flatness of his tone, there is a trace of sarcasm there. Of course, it will unfortunately become clear to both of them that, unsurprisingly, instructions and a code are only half the battle. ]
no subject
He can't think of how to voice aloud what he's feeling, because it's so faint and unfamiliar, a heaviness around him and on him, and all he can do is breathe through it, be with her in this moment and the next.
What he's seen here already — glimpses of his past — are enough to rattle him, but also to turn him swiftly to action. In another situation, it would be enough for him to want to take those feelings out on something, someone, but it — settles him. That she's here. It's what she says, too, that makes that even truer. Start to see things you've never told anyone. ]
Yeah, that — [ With his left hand, he briefly rubs at the back of his neck, spares a glance at her. Is that why his neck felt hot? Like something burning him? This feeling like something hurt, but he didn't know why, and he might have gotten lost in it, too, but she was about to go...somewhere. He might not have been able to pull her back. And he figured he needed to try and grab her from whatever had a hold on her. What she's saying doesn't sound crazy, though. Not even close. ]
Both of us. [ This, he decides, is enough said for now. They get it. And this place is more than it seems. He starts rifling through every drawer he can find for something that would have a code of any kind. That water's still creeping, sloshing, but he has less of a feeling like they might drown here, like it's...settled down a little maybe? Just another fucked thing about this place. His fingers touch something, though, a binder of some kind, and he pulls it out, brings it close so she can see. ]
Instructions — right, couldn't start with that.
[ Despite the flatness of his tone, there is a trace of sarcasm there. Of course, it will unfortunately become clear to both of them that, unsurprisingly, instructions and a code are only half the battle. ]