[ even in Eudio, he very rarely gets hugs and it shows in the way he tenses — not hostile, but startled, like wild animal's flight instinct going off. it's only for a moment before he relaxes himself, leaning into the embrace.
he's too worried that this could become even more of a mess, if that horrible desperation surges back up like it has before, leaking through cracks in his defences and making him want to cling and beg. it's happened with both Hiccup and Katniss but he needs to make it stop. it isn't— good. so instead of putting an arm around Laura, he just clutches the hem of her shirt with the tips of his fingers, like a child. ]
Thanks, Laura. It's, uh — [ he laughs again, trying to get away from the serious mood of all this. ] It's the best birthday I've ever had! Haha...
[ it's the only one he's ever had. that's the joke. it's funny. ]
[ She gets the joke, pathetic as it is, and smiles sympathetically, hugging a little tighter before releasing him. ]
Good. I wouldn't want to set the standards too low.
[ She's a little chilled from hugging a body so cold, so she rubs her hands on her thighs as she tries to think of what to say next. A part of her mind wonders what touching Jack some more would feel like— would it be cool and refreshing, or too cold to handle?
In any case. ]
Have you been having a good holiday? I know you said you hated Christmas, but New Years is fun, right?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
he's too worried that this could become even more of a mess, if that horrible desperation surges back up like it has before, leaking through cracks in his defences and making him want to cling and beg. it's happened with both Hiccup and Katniss but he needs to make it stop. it isn't— good. so instead of putting an arm around Laura, he just clutches the hem of her shirt with the tips of his fingers, like a child. ]
Thanks, Laura. It's, uh — [ he laughs again, trying to get away from the serious mood of all this. ] It's the best birthday I've ever had! Haha...
[ it's the only one he's ever had. that's the joke. it's funny. ]
no subject
Good. I wouldn't want to set the standards too low.
[ She's a little chilled from hugging a body so cold, so she rubs her hands on her thighs as she tries to think of what to say next. A part of her mind wonders what touching Jack some more would feel like— would it be cool and refreshing, or too cold to handle?
In any case. ]
Have you been having a good holiday? I know you said you hated Christmas, but New Years is fun, right?