[She can't begin to guess what he's been through, but she watches his face quietly and without judgement, searching for any of those minute shifts that might indicate what he's thinking about; what he's going through. She can recognize the way he curls in as something defensive, recognize the way he closes his eyes as being lost in a memory. It hurts her hand a little when he squeezes it, but she doesn't make a sound or do anything other than apply equal pressure to his knee in something she hopes is stabilizing.
His voice is so soft and so small that her heart twists painfully in her chest. She isn't sure if it's sobering or heartening to know that whatever he's been through, it was probably just as difficult as what she'd gone through. Beneath his confidence which she's almost certain must be, at least in part, bravado, he's just a boy.]
Hey. [Her voice is soft, matching his in volume if not in tone. She wiggles her fingers a little, trying to turn her hand over to interlace their fingers, give him something better to hold onto. Contrary to the way he's curled in on himself, her posture is open, her ankles tucked in close to her body and free hand resting in her lap; her expression is as soft as her voice as her eyes flit across his face.] You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. But I'm here to listen if you do.
no subject
His voice is so soft and so small that her heart twists painfully in her chest. She isn't sure if it's sobering or heartening to know that whatever he's been through, it was probably just as difficult as what she'd gone through. Beneath his confidence which she's almost certain must be, at least in part, bravado, he's just a boy.]
Hey. [Her voice is soft, matching his in volume if not in tone. She wiggles her fingers a little, trying to turn her hand over to interlace their fingers, give him something better to hold onto. Contrary to the way he's curled in on himself, her posture is open, her ankles tucked in close to her body and free hand resting in her lap; her expression is as soft as her voice as her eyes flit across his face.] You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. But I'm here to listen if you do.