The less traveling we do while you're injured the better.
[ jiaoqiu says, voice soft but insistent. but he's not going to pester - he really does want to go home. he's exhausted, he wants to sleep in his own bed. if therion can make it, that's what they'll do, but if he doesn't feel good, jiaoqiu isn't going to risk his health just because the two of them would rather be back in sunshade. he's keeping a close eye on how therion's moving, what he's doing while they're mostly at rest.
a beat. ]
Lady Cordelia is generous to open her home to us. We'd like to be back as soon as we can, but we'll keep it in mind.
[ there's that military general's right hand coming out, there. his fingers wrap around therion's wrist - nothing more than just holding onto him because he wants to. it makes him feel better. focus on who you can save, he reminds himself, putting northreach out of his mind for now. therion is his priority. ]
[ you know, therion knows jiaoqiu is smart. he knows he's good at navigating complexities, but there's something nice - something attractive, really - about seeing him utilize those skills. for therion, who would rather not talk in most situations, it's especially nice to be able to trust jiaoqiu to handle it, because whether he trusts heathcote or not, he doesn't really want to deal with him right now.
his glance flicks from the rearview mirror to jiaoqiu, as they peel out of the town and off into the night. the hand around his wrist is allowed to stay there - he leans back a little further against the seat, feeling some of the weight and exhaustion of the day starting to weigh on his shoulders, dizzy in the rocking motion of the car.
therion closes his eyes, indicating an I'm Done With This Conversation - his wrist turns just slightly into the fingers pressed to it, and he trusts jiaoqiu to handle it. whether he talks to heathcote a lot or doesn't, he can handle it.
heathcote hums a little in response. "There's hardly a need for the train, then - Master Jiaoqiu is correct. We'll head that for Sunshade directly."
cordelia can wait, because she'll get a full report of everything that happened here anyway, so. off they go. heathcote's as quiet as you might expect as a butler, polite and elegant, and he doesn't necessarily start conversation unless jiaoqiu wants to ask him something of him, but it seems he's fine to take them all the way back. ]
[ he can tell that therion is starting to waver, which is why once heathcote goes quiet, jiaoqiu hums, and shifts so he can be a better pillow. carefully, he nudges therion to lean on him if he wants, and - either way - settles his tail so it's settled over the both of them. comfy. it'll be a decently long drive back, so he's content to rest. he only had two hours of sleep, after all.
and he's a little hesitant to do so only because he doesn't always like to be affectionate where other people can see, but he rests his head against therion's shoulder, and closes his eyes. he's exhausted, so he's going to be out in seconds if nobody talks to him.
he figures he'll need the rest for when they get back. ]
no subject
[ jiaoqiu says, voice soft but insistent. but he's not going to pester - he really does want to go home. he's exhausted, he wants to sleep in his own bed. if therion can make it, that's what they'll do, but if he doesn't feel good, jiaoqiu isn't going to risk his health just because the two of them would rather be back in sunshade. he's keeping a close eye on how therion's moving, what he's doing while they're mostly at rest.
a beat. ]
Lady Cordelia is generous to open her home to us. We'd like to be back as soon as we can, but we'll keep it in mind.
[ there's that military general's right hand coming out, there. his fingers wrap around therion's wrist - nothing more than just holding onto him because he wants to. it makes him feel better. focus on who you can save, he reminds himself, putting northreach out of his mind for now. therion is his priority. ]
no subject
his glance flicks from the rearview mirror to jiaoqiu, as they peel out of the town and off into the night. the hand around his wrist is allowed to stay there - he leans back a little further against the seat, feeling some of the weight and exhaustion of the day starting to weigh on his shoulders, dizzy in the rocking motion of the car.
therion closes his eyes, indicating an I'm Done With This Conversation - his wrist turns just slightly into the fingers pressed to it, and he trusts jiaoqiu to handle it. whether he talks to heathcote a lot or doesn't, he can handle it.
heathcote hums a little in response. "There's hardly a need for the train, then - Master Jiaoqiu is correct. We'll head that for Sunshade directly."
cordelia can wait, because she'll get a full report of everything that happened here anyway, so. off they go. heathcote's as quiet as you might expect as a butler, polite and elegant, and he doesn't necessarily start conversation unless jiaoqiu wants to ask him something of him, but it seems he's fine to take them all the way back. ]
no subject
and he's a little hesitant to do so only because he doesn't always like to be affectionate where other people can see, but he rests his head against therion's shoulder, and closes his eyes. he's exhausted, so he's going to be out in seconds if nobody talks to him.
he figures he'll need the rest for when they get back. ]