@ElderGod-Icefire
Arthur reached up, taking the handkerchief and wrapping it around himself.
Arthur reached up, taking the handkerchief and wrapping it around himself.
Twili gently patted Arthur's back, holding him closer to her chest. She was warm, and had shown that she wasn't going to hurt him like Derlik had.
Arthur was trembling faintly, staying pressed close to her.
Twili was glad to see Arthur trusting her enough to keep close. She moved to gently rub his back again, hoping he could handle it.
Arthur trembled faintly, but stayed quiet.
Nik took a deep breath, quiet.
Twili continued to do her best to comfort Arthur, glancing up. Derlik looked at Nik, quiet himself.
"What… what do you want me to do with him, Nik?" he finally asked.
Nik glanced up, sighing. "I…I don't know."
"That doesn't help. I doubt you want me to continue what I was doing, but what do I do with him now? I've already Claimed him."
Nik winced faintly. "Oh."
Derlik let out a faint breath, resting his head in his arms again.
"…I fucked up again, didn't I."
"I…" He trailed off. What the hell was he supposed to say? A god had claimed and tortured his abusive ex. And sure, maybe Arthur had deserved it a little, but…
"I… I'm sorry, Nix," Derlik said in turn. He was trying, really, he just… had a lot he had to try to change.
"It's…" He trailed off. "It's your nature." He replied eventually.
"That's not an excuse to hurt people," Derlik said in turn. "I should be better."
He nodded a little. "You should be." He agreed softly.
"I'll be better. I'm still working on it, it's going to take time." Derlik looked up at Nik, letting out a breath.
"I know." He replied.
"Still… I have no idea what to do with him now." Derlik glanced at the man Twili was holding, letting out a sigh.
Nik shrugged. "You can't just…put him back?"
"I can't, unfortunately," Derlik said sighing.
Nik nodded a little. "Right."
"I'm not sure what to do with him now…" Derlik looked at the man still, curled up in Twili's handkerchief.
Nik sighed faintly.
Derlik sighed as well, putting his head in his hands.
Nik glanced at Arthur and Twili quietly.
Twili was still gently rubbing Arthur's back, keeping her touch gentle. She was worried, to say the least, about all of this. He really was a broken man…
Arthur was still shaking very faintly.
At least he wasn't shaking as bad as he had been before. Twili ran her finger gently over Arthur's head, keeping him tucked close.
Arthur stayed close to her, wrapped in the handkerchief.
Derlik let out a soft breath, head on the table again.
"Perhaps we should just head back to the clearing…" Twili glanced up, holding Arthur to her chest and letting her other hand fall to Smoke's back.
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