Post by ashestoApples on Jul 24, 2014 1:57:23 GMT -6
CommanderStarseed: His expression softening, Rick stood up to move closer to the two of them now that he thought the immediate danger Lorna was in was dealt with and squatted next to Conrad. He put his hand on the smaller male's opposite shoulder, patting him comfortingly.
"No, s'not." He reassured Conrad, before giving his shoulder a firmer squeeze and jostling him back and forth slightly in a gesture of comradery. Afterwards, he stood up and strode away, head tilted back to stare up at the sky as he waited.
zykrinnox: Probably contrary to Rick's intentions, Conrad clenched his fist and hunched over after moving to his knees. He wasn't going to get into it-- he was going to be strong and do what he could before he died. He was going to allow himself to be a meat shield for whoever was left in his settlement, including his sister. That was the problem because she was far past the point of saving. He had already failed.
"Even if she's a corpse?" he muttered darkly, willing the stinging in his eyes to dissolve and the lump in his throat to shrink.
CommanderStarseed: Not comprehending at first, Rick's mouth formed the shape to say the word 'corpse'. But realizing what the young man meant, he didn't get even as far as the first syllable before his face went slack in surprise instead and his shoulders slumped. He didn't mean she was dead... Just that she might as well be.
He looked at Conrad over his shoulder, seeing the kid's hunched position and stiff shoulders.
"No." He repeated, more firmly. He strode back over to Conrad and put his hand on top of his head, forcing Conrad to tilt his head back to look up at him. "S'not."
It didn't take an expert to recognize the tell tale glint of moisture brimming the bottom edge of Conrad's eyes, but Rick just happened to be an expert anyway. He learned exactly how hard and uncomfortable the lump Conrad undeniably had in his throat felt from experience, and without more preamble, Rick flopped on the ground beside the kid again and yanked his head onto his uninjured shoulder. It was a combination of meaty and muscular - at any rate, definitely uncomfortable. But it was that, or yank Conrad's head onto his thigh, and somehow he doubted that would be as comforting a pillow as his shoulder would be. Rick held him there in a half-hug, loose enough Conrad could throw his arm off if he really wanted to, but with enough pressure on his hand to act as a reassuring force.
"No, s'not." He reassured Conrad, before giving his shoulder a firmer squeeze and jostling him back and forth slightly in a gesture of comradery. Afterwards, he stood up and strode away, head tilted back to stare up at the sky as he waited.
zykrinnox: Probably contrary to Rick's intentions, Conrad clenched his fist and hunched over after moving to his knees. He wasn't going to get into it-- he was going to be strong and do what he could before he died. He was going to allow himself to be a meat shield for whoever was left in his settlement, including his sister. That was the problem because she was far past the point of saving. He had already failed.
"Even if she's a corpse?" he muttered darkly, willing the stinging in his eyes to dissolve and the lump in his throat to shrink.
CommanderStarseed: Not comprehending at first, Rick's mouth formed the shape to say the word 'corpse'. But realizing what the young man meant, he didn't get even as far as the first syllable before his face went slack in surprise instead and his shoulders slumped. He didn't mean she was dead... Just that she might as well be.
He looked at Conrad over his shoulder, seeing the kid's hunched position and stiff shoulders.
"No." He repeated, more firmly. He strode back over to Conrad and put his hand on top of his head, forcing Conrad to tilt his head back to look up at him. "S'not."
It didn't take an expert to recognize the tell tale glint of moisture brimming the bottom edge of Conrad's eyes, but Rick just happened to be an expert anyway. He learned exactly how hard and uncomfortable the lump Conrad undeniably had in his throat felt from experience, and without more preamble, Rick flopped on the ground beside the kid again and yanked his head onto his uninjured shoulder. It was a combination of meaty and muscular - at any rate, definitely uncomfortable. But it was that, or yank Conrad's head onto his thigh, and somehow he doubted that would be as comforting a pillow as his shoulder would be. Rick held him there in a half-hug, loose enough Conrad could throw his arm off if he really wanted to, but with enough pressure on his hand to act as a reassuring force.