[Through the connection established by synchrony, he can feel the prickle of her hurt underneath his skin. He nearly turns back to her, nearly closes his hands around hers. But then he's sure that would only make his unceremonious departure sting worse. Instead, gathering one of the blankets from their erstwhile nest around his waist, Nikolai stands. He harvests his trousers from the floor. Then he hesitates just a second, uncertain of what to say for once.]
I won't be long.
[This is a promise he can follow through. Within a quarter of an hour, he is washed and (partially) dressed and on his third draft of what to say to Alina tonight. He walks back inside with the blanket neatly folded and draped over his arm. His hair is damp, his skin and scales glistening. His countenance is carefully, pleasantly neutral.]
Thank you for fixing up my shirt. If I attempted it myself, I'm sure I'd only inflict worse damage.
[He deposits the folded blanket on the floor by the bed and makes to gather his scattered socks and shoes. The whole of his focus goes into tugging these on, holding his gaze away from Konoha. But he finds his eyes flicking to her anyway and catching for just a moment. She looks good, mussed by their romp and loosely draped in her robe. Regret collides with guilt in his stomach, and he jerks his eyes away again.]
no subject
I won't be long.
[This is a promise he can follow through. Within a quarter of an hour, he is washed and (partially) dressed and on his third draft of what to say to Alina tonight. He walks back inside with the blanket neatly folded and draped over his arm. His hair is damp, his skin and scales glistening. His countenance is carefully, pleasantly neutral.]
Thank you for fixing up my shirt. If I attempted it myself, I'm sure I'd only inflict worse damage.
[He deposits the folded blanket on the floor by the bed and makes to gather his scattered socks and shoes. The whole of his focus goes into tugging these on, holding his gaze away from Konoha. But he finds his eyes flicking to her anyway and catching for just a moment. She looks good, mussed by their romp and loosely draped in her robe. Regret collides with guilt in his stomach, and he jerks his eyes away again.]