[ When they're far enough into the alley, brick and mortar held over and around them and shadowing them from view, Dokja finally comes to a stop. He stands there for a moment, back facing her, line of his shoulders tense, before turning to face her.
His hands shake as one reaches up to pull down his mask while the other pushes his hood away from his face. And there's no mistaking him, even with dark circles more prominent than ever before, even with his bangs that reach past his eyes now and a stark gauntness to his cheeks. He doesn't look like he's been eating enough, sleeping enough, and he hasn't. How can he? Five months in Horos and the neglect he's placed himself in has done a number on him.
There's a distinct wetness around his eyes, sliding down his cheek, and he's only distantly aware that he's crying when he finally lifts his gaze off the ground to meet her own. ]
How...
[ His voice comes out in a rasp, throat working against him as he swallows to try and get out the words. ]
How are you here? When did you get here?
[ As much as he wants to fall to his knees and beg for her forgiveness, to ask her why she had done what she did for him, more than twenty-one thousand years spent in guilt-ridden agony, he... has to hold it together. ]
you can have him
His hands shake as one reaches up to pull down his mask while the other pushes his hood away from his face. And there's no mistaking him, even with dark circles more prominent than ever before, even with his bangs that reach past his eyes now and a stark gauntness to his cheeks. He doesn't look like he's been eating enough, sleeping enough, and he hasn't. How can he? Five months in Horos and the neglect he's placed himself in has done a number on him.
There's a distinct wetness around his eyes, sliding down his cheek, and he's only distantly aware that he's crying when he finally lifts his gaze off the ground to meet her own. ]
How...
[ His voice comes out in a rasp, throat working against him as he swallows to try and get out the words. ]
How are you here? When did you get here?
[ As much as he wants to fall to his knees and beg for her forgiveness, to ask her why she had done what she did for him, more than twenty-one thousand years spent in guilt-ridden agony, he... has to hold it together. ]