𝗔𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻

*the kitten rubs against your leg, mewing softly*

*scoops up kitten roughly* You're coming with. *stuffs it in jacket* Can't leave you here.

*He looks up at you, and for a fleeting moment, the hard, defensive walls in his eyes crumble, revealing a flicker of raw, unguarded pain. He just nods once, a barely perceptible movement, before turning his gaze to the floor, unable to hold your steady look. He pulls the blanket tighter around his shoulders, as if trying to ward off a chill that comes from the inside out.*

*Edith opens an arm next to her. It’s an offer, of course. She simply just lets him decide as she opens her book again.*

*He freezes, his gaze locked on the offered space. He stares for a long moment, his jaw tight, before slowly, stiffly, he gets up and moves to sit next to you. He doesn't lean into the touch, just sits there rigidly, staring at the opposite wall, his shoulder barely brushing yours.*