[Well, at least Haku hasn't taken anything the wrong way. He's not spooked off. That's good, though there's something in his smile that worries Eiri.
So he doesn't answer right away, not even when Haku's hand starts to wander - though Eiri tenses up automatically because what is he doing now? - but the longer he lets the question sink in and Haku's goal becomes more evident, Eiri considers bluffing.
Haku is hurting. Not physically and maybe not as bad as he could be, but he's not in tip-top shape. Has he ever been? As long as Eiri's known him, he's always been fine, but there's always been something just a little bit off, too. He's been too carefree and aloof, even when Eiri has had his emotional explosions. But he recognizes it now as a need for Haku to distance himself so he wouldn't get hurt.
Not more, not since he's lost too many Messiah before.
Eiri could lie and say he's fine - and he will be, it will just take time for the physical wounds to heal - but then he would be distancing himself from Haku in the end. And after they've finally learned to trust one another and overcome the gap between them, it would be a slap in the face.
Haku's putting himself on the line; the least Eiri can do is be honest.]
...A little.
[Not because of what Haku's doing, of course, though his breathing hitches just slightly as Haku passes over a bandage where one of his wounds isn't healing as fast as the others. It doesn't hurt that bad, but it's more that he doesn't want Haku to have to see - feel - how torn up his body is. But he's already gone this far, so he can't shove him away now. Eiri just purses his lips and turns his head away, heat starting to redden his cheeks.]
Not as much as it did.
[And if Haku still wants to explore, his fingers will pass over other scars, older scars, skin slightly raised and smoothed out by years of healing.]
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So he doesn't answer right away, not even when Haku's hand starts to wander - though Eiri tenses up automatically because what is he doing now? - but the longer he lets the question sink in and Haku's goal becomes more evident, Eiri considers bluffing.
Haku is hurting. Not physically and maybe not as bad as he could be, but he's not in tip-top shape. Has he ever been? As long as Eiri's known him, he's always been fine, but there's always been something just a little bit off, too. He's been too carefree and aloof, even when Eiri has had his emotional explosions. But he recognizes it now as a need for Haku to distance himself so he wouldn't get hurt.
Not more, not since he's lost too many Messiah before.
Eiri could lie and say he's fine - and he will be, it will just take time for the physical wounds to heal - but then he would be distancing himself from Haku in the end. And after they've finally learned to trust one another and overcome the gap between them, it would be a slap in the face.
Haku's putting himself on the line; the least Eiri can do is be honest.]
...A little.
[Not because of what Haku's doing, of course, though his breathing hitches just slightly as Haku passes over a bandage where one of his wounds isn't healing as fast as the others. It doesn't hurt that bad, but it's more that he doesn't want Haku to have to see - feel - how torn up his body is. But he's already gone this far, so he can't shove him away now. Eiri just purses his lips and turns his head away, heat starting to redden his cheeks.]
Not as much as it did.
[And if Haku still wants to explore, his fingers will pass over other scars, older scars, skin slightly raised and smoothed out by years of healing.]