When he'd seen the state the Charles was in, Aurus had wasted no time gathering him into his arms. He was, admittedly, more than a little alarmed, and he couldn't help but recall Hank's earlier warning. In retrospect he wondered if perhaps he should have taken it more seriously. If he had, then maybe...
He couldn't think about that now though. His fear and second-guessing would do Charles no good--if his advice to the man was to focus then he needed also to do the same. He needed to be the anchor, the oak-like steadiness that the man could rely on to put himself right again. This was no time to be indulgently playing games of "what if."
Instead, Aurus put everything out of his mind but the calmness of an even, rhythmical breath. He cradled the man's neck in his palm, laying his thumb against the pulse-point and tried to envision a gradual, growing synchronicity, between Charles' heartbeat and his own. And he breathed in the soft sweet scent of the man's hair as he held him, waiting, waiting.
By the time the shaking stopped, Charles would find that they were seated on the grass and that Aurus was holding him in a steady embrace, his cheek resting against the top of Charles' head. He relaxed his grip slightly when the man finally stirred, but he did not let go. His own pulse quickened and he exhaled a breath of relief when his body felt the signs that Charles was truly with him again.
"For me as well," he sounded shaken, and he was, but for his own reasons. The relief that flooded through him now betrayed how much fear he'd been keeping in check. By the Tree, what if Charles hadn't been okay?
"I'm sorry Charles. I knew that the tea would produce a vision of some sort, but I had no idea that it would be that one, nor did I ever guess it would have that kind of effect on you."
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He couldn't think about that now though. His fear and second-guessing would do Charles no good--if his advice to the man was to focus then he needed also to do the same. He needed to be the anchor, the oak-like steadiness that the man could rely on to put himself right again. This was no time to be indulgently playing games of "what if."
Instead, Aurus put everything out of his mind but the calmness of an even, rhythmical breath. He cradled the man's neck in his palm, laying his thumb against the pulse-point and tried to envision a gradual, growing synchronicity, between Charles' heartbeat and his own. And he breathed in the soft sweet scent of the man's hair as he held him, waiting, waiting.
By the time the shaking stopped, Charles would find that they were seated on the grass and that Aurus was holding him in a steady embrace, his cheek resting against the top of Charles' head. He relaxed his grip slightly when the man finally stirred, but he did not let go. His own pulse quickened and he exhaled a breath of relief when his body felt the signs that Charles was truly with him again.
"For me as well," he sounded shaken, and he was, but for his own reasons. The relief that flooded through him now betrayed how much fear he'd been keeping in check. By the Tree, what if Charles hadn't been okay?
"I'm sorry Charles. I knew that the tea would produce a vision of some sort, but I had no idea that it would be that one, nor did I ever guess it would have that kind of effect on you."