[He might not be able to see the distress, but it was like a miasma in the air, a prickle along his skin. He'd lost enforcers in the dark before, and their panic was the same. He might not know the source of Richard's exact reason for distress, but it all fell into similar patterns; in this case, he didn't hate the younger man enough to consider just leaving him here in the dark. No, he had intentions to take them further in.
Yet momentarily stiffened when Richard was suddenly leaning on him, though that was a normal reaction he supposed. Marcus hadn't dared to get that close even when their truce was in its infancy. His coat might be a protective barrier, but he was reminded in that moment that Richard was much smaller than himself, almost femininely slight. It had been a long time since anyone but Jinx - who was a slight woman herself - pressed in this close to him. Oh how Richard couldn't know the usual neutrality or even aversions to it.
He waited for the panic to subside, and he didn't fight as that grip moved to his wrist instead.]
Of course. There's a fork up ahead and we'll be taking the right passage.
[He began to move again, leading them along close to the right wall so that he could easily take them into the right passage as he had planned. Deeper into the caves where the lack of sound could be oppressive. It didn't bother him, of course. All the while, he allowed Richard his wrist and to keep in close.]
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branchandroot
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Date: 2024-06-02 11:12 pm (UTC)Yet momentarily stiffened when Richard was suddenly leaning on him, though that was a normal reaction he supposed. Marcus hadn't dared to get that close even when their truce was in its infancy. His coat might be a protective barrier, but he was reminded in that moment that Richard was much smaller than himself, almost femininely slight. It had been a long time since anyone but Jinx - who was a slight woman herself - pressed in this close to him. Oh how Richard couldn't know the usual neutrality or even aversions to it.
He waited for the panic to subside, and he didn't fight as that grip moved to his wrist instead.]
Of course. There's a fork up ahead and we'll be taking the right passage.
[He began to move again, leading them along close to the right wall so that he could easily take them into the right passage as he had planned. Deeper into the caves where the lack of sound could be oppressive. It didn't bother him, of course. All the while, he allowed Richard his wrist and to keep in close.]