Andre recoiled slightly in surprise upon hearing the young girl's guilt-ridden voice. As ever, she appeared almost emotionless as she spoke, though the sudden arrival of such a topic was clue enough that the girl was still thinking upon the matter, perhaps a little too heavily. He turned his head away slightly, scanning the ground around him aimlessly as he relived the events of that day. It was of course, as she said, quite a painful experience to say the least. The aftermath particularly so, once the adrenaline in his blood had thinned out. His hand drew closer to his chest and came to rest atop where he had been wounded at the time, absent-mindedly, as he lingered momentarily, lost within his own thoughts.
Thinking upon it now, he was secretly grateful that she had left before that. Being that Clover was still a young and somewhat innocent girl, he'd have blamed himself had she have been exposed to such a sight which would only have led to her finding more reason to feel somehow responsible.
After a very brief moment of silence, Andre flicked his gaze back to the girl, trying his best to give a reassuring smile to her even though she had yet to look in his direction.
"Such things happen... and I am no stranger to it. You need not find reason to burden your mind with such thoughts" he spoke with a pleasant voice to try and help reinforce his opinion by conveying his own state of mind on the matter.
He gingerly reached out towards her again, this time his eyes focused on her hand as he boldly picked it up in his own, gently supporting the tips of her fingers with a light grip.
"It was you, Clover, who saved me that day. Truth be told, had I even survived long enough to see another conjurer within the gates I'd certainly not have been in a well enough state to be walking around this day" his gaze remained fixated on her delicate fingers as he spoke solemnly before finally removing them to meet with her enchanting eyes of jade.
His grip on her softened as he released his thumb and instead let her fingers merely rest atop his until she would withdraw them on her own whim.
"Anyroad... it was more than worth it to make your acquaintance, Clover" he added with a smile as he retracted away from her slightly and lay himself back against the tree.
"For a quiet girl you really are an interesting piece of work" he chuckled quietly in brief contemplation of what he had come to learn about the girl, resting his arms behind his head to serve as a cushion as he lay comfortably against the mossy, tree trunk.
Thinking upon it now, he was secretly grateful that she had left before that. Being that Clover was still a young and somewhat innocent girl, he'd have blamed himself had she have been exposed to such a sight which would only have led to her finding more reason to feel somehow responsible.
After a very brief moment of silence, Andre flicked his gaze back to the girl, trying his best to give a reassuring smile to her even though she had yet to look in his direction.
"Such things happen... and I am no stranger to it. You need not find reason to burden your mind with such thoughts" he spoke with a pleasant voice to try and help reinforce his opinion by conveying his own state of mind on the matter.
He gingerly reached out towards her again, this time his eyes focused on her hand as he boldly picked it up in his own, gently supporting the tips of her fingers with a light grip.
"It was you, Clover, who saved me that day. Truth be told, had I even survived long enough to see another conjurer within the gates I'd certainly not have been in a well enough state to be walking around this day" his gaze remained fixated on her delicate fingers as he spoke solemnly before finally removing them to meet with her enchanting eyes of jade.
His grip on her softened as he released his thumb and instead let her fingers merely rest atop his until she would withdraw them on her own whim.
"Anyroad... it was more than worth it to make your acquaintance, Clover" he added with a smile as he retracted away from her slightly and lay himself back against the tree.
"For a quiet girl you really are an interesting piece of work" he chuckled quietly in brief contemplation of what he had come to learn about the girl, resting his arms behind his head to serve as a cushion as he lay comfortably against the mossy, tree trunk.
![[Image: ecec20e41f.png]](https://puu.sh/xvMxb/ecec20e41f.png)
Characters: Andre Winter (Hy'ur) / K'nahli Yohko (Miqo'te)
