Tales of a Child Eternal [NSFW]

[Tethras Clan]

"Helene!" Zevran says, voice pained. "Please- please listen to me, please don't- do not hurt yourself. Please Please listen to me, to my voice. Please," he begs. It's only past experience with the dangers of touching someone in a fugue state that prevents him from grabbing their head or slipping a hand between them and the wall.

[Helene Dakesh]

The words don't make much of an impression, not at first, but the tone, the tone stops them. They rest their head against the wall for a few moments, eyes still closed; when they resume rockin, they lean more forward, not hitting their head. The pain in his voice is a tangible thing, a searing brand in their gut, urging them to stop, to listen, to pay attention. 

[Tethras Clan]

"Good, good. Thank you Helene. Thank you. Can you talk at all? Can you write? Or do you just want me to talk?  If you just want me to talk for a while... tap with your right hand, just for a few seconds," he coaxes them.

[Helene Dakesh]

After a long moment, their right hand taps gently on the floorboards.

[Tethras Clan]

Thanks the gods. Taking a deep breath, Zevran forces a smile- it looks mostly natural, he's rather skilled at that sort of thing- and launches into a long, mostly accurate but highly dramatized story about the goings-on of a high class brothel. He's careful to watch them, to see if they react to anything in particular, but he also makes a point of keeping his gaze indirect.

[Helene Dakesh]

After a little while, the rocking stops. A little while after that, and they crawl forward to him, resting their head on his leg as they lay next to him, seeming too small and silent but at least still present.

[Tethras Clan]

Carefully, slowly, giving them plenty of time to protest, flinch or even just tense, he starts stroking their hair as he rambles, giving a blow-by-blow of Nox and Lux's latest performance.

[Helene Dakesh]

They don't tense or stiffen when he touches them -- but they do seem to go through cycles of being agitated and calming, seemingly unrelated to the story he's telling. Over and over, they expect him to give up, to get tired of this, to push them away -- but as he talks, they keep coming up against that immovable fact: he isn't. He's fine. They're fine. Everything is fine. They can be silent if they need to. They don't have to struggle, to strain.

It's nearly an hour before they sit up, flashing him a wan smile. "Food?" they ask, quietly. 

[Tethras Clan]

Zevran's voice hitches and his body stills for a second or two. "Yes. Yes of course. Seafood stew today, I think, or I could order out."

[Helene Dakesh]

They nod, then, folding their hands meekly in their lap. Food. Food is good. There's a vague sensation that they may have skipped a meal or two -- the hunger is tinged with guilt. Not all the words are back, not yet, but simpler words are easier. 

[Tethras Clan]

"Would you like to come upstairs, eat in the kitchen or eat down here?"

[Helene Dakesh]

They flinch. "Here."

[Tethras Clan]

"Here is fine. I'll be back in a few minutes, alright?"

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene nods, remaining in place quietly as Zevran leaves and returns. They eat the stew in silence, happy to let Zevran keep talking while they do; when that's done, they put the bowl aside and look around. "...Patchwork?"

[Tethras Clan]

"...he said something about wanting to return some scrolls borrowed from the temple." Zevran explains. "He... seemed to think that perhaps he had done something wrong. To... trigger this. Or perhaps cause it. He was not convinced when I tried to explain that your state had nothing to do with his own."