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So... up the stairs they go, mostly side by side. Mark lags by a step or two.
There is a persistent silence.
"I... didn't think you'd react the way you did," he says finally. "I mean, I thought you might—that there might be something there, but not that you'd actually."
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unmarred
first-and-final
"...You look anything but fine," he says, but he hugs Mark again anyway.
unmarred
"You don't know, do you," he murmurs, shivering. "You don't know what you were going to say... maybe you weren't. Maybe I was imagining things."
first-and-final
"What's got into you...? What was I..."
Stalas thinks back to how he felt in that moment, before concern interrupted.
"...oh."
He is quiet for a moment.
Stalas thinks back to how he felt in that moment, before concern interrupted.
"...oh."
He is quiet for a moment.
unmarred
Mark cringes slightly, but makes no attempt to break away from the circle of his arms.
unmarred
He collapses, bursting into tears. If he didn't have Stalas to lean on, Stalas to hold him up, he'd sink straight to the floor.
first-and-final
But Stalas is there, and Stalas holds him. His willingness to let Mark cry helplessly into his chest has not diminished at all.
"You know," he ventures after a minute, "normally I would think it was a bad sign that you found it this upsetting..."
"You know," he ventures after a minute, "normally I would think it was a bad sign that you found it this upsetting..."
unmarred
Mark giggle-sniffles and shakes his head. "Nooo," he mumbles into Stalas's chest. "I like it."
first-and-final
"That's better. Sort of," says Stalas. "Do you and your towel want to come sit on the bed with me again?"
first-and-final
"Okay. Good. This way..."
And they and their towels make it safely back to the bed, where they can all be soft and cuddly together. Soft and cuddly and slightly damp.
And they and their towels make it safely back to the bed, where they can all be soft and cuddly together. Soft and cuddly and slightly damp.
unmarred
Mark cycles between giggles and tears a few more times before he reaches a soft and cuddly equilibrium.
At which point, after enjoying the quiet for a few long unhurried breaths, he says:
"I want to go back to Barrayar with you."
At which point, after enjoying the quiet for a few long unhurried breaths, he says:
"I want to go back to Barrayar with you."
unmarred
"Yes, well, fuck him. He'll get over it. He's made it clear enough that he wants me in his family; if he kicks up a fuss about the circumstances, I can always go over his head."
first-and-final
"Also your mother, if I understand the situation... and this will work?"
unmarred
"Oh yes. I only don't want to call her that yet because I haven't met her. I've heard enough to know."
first-and-final
"Well... I'm not opposed to trying," says Stalas. "I'd miss you, if you didn't."
