[ His hand strokes soothingly against Claude's spine, holding him close and trying to offer as much comfort as Claude himself offers. Embodies. He'd missed this, but feeling it now makes that ache even more profound. ]

Yeah, me either. I probably would have ended up arrested, because I wouldn't have given up on trying to get back through that portal to find you.

[ That's not an idle threat, either. in fact, he's contemplated it a lot over the past few days. ]