For a long series of seconds, he's too thrown by everything going on with Jo to even properly hear Geralt's question. Definitely too thrown to think about calling out for Ciri.
It's like whiplash, the hug and then immediate repulsion that follows it. That don't touch me which instantly spears him harder than it ought to, harder than she intended surely, harder than any healthy person would take it.
And then it's just living through my death- -again.
That one's a two-parter.
"Again as in- again?" Which is a stupid question, and it sounds stupid, but it falls out of his mouth anyway.
Ciri steps in, and it makes for a fine excuse for him to step away in turn, to pass a hand over his mouth.
Okay.
You know what?
He can't deal with this right now. He can't. He needs to compartmentalize, he can't afford to lose his grip in the middle of something like this. Mission mode. Save the feelings for later.
"He's right," he mutters, nodding in Geralt's direction. "Either we move, or this place makes us move, and I'd like to keep the illusion of choice alive for another twenty minutes."
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It's like whiplash, the hug and then immediate repulsion that follows it. That don't touch me which instantly spears him harder than it ought to, harder than she intended surely, harder than any healthy person would take it.
And then it's just living through my death-
-again.
That one's a two-parter.
"Again as in- again?" Which is a stupid question, and it sounds stupid, but it falls out of his mouth anyway.
Ciri steps in, and it makes for a fine excuse for him to step away in turn, to pass a hand over his mouth.
Okay.
You know what?
He can't deal with this right now. He can't. He needs to compartmentalize, he can't afford to lose his grip in the middle of something like this. Mission mode. Save the feelings for later.
"He's right," he mutters, nodding in Geralt's direction. "Either we move, or this place makes us move, and I'd like to keep the illusion of choice alive for another twenty minutes."