ruinsprofessor

[She barely hesitates in her turn, either about the organs or about this question, and forges straight ahead.] There's a lapse of a few seconds I can't account for.

It's possible I imagined it. [Unlikely. She guards her memory jealously.] In the midst of everything else that was happening at the time. Still, I wondered if you might know something.

[She does have a hypothesis, though she's not going to mention it yet. She's had time to think about it and her probable reaction, at least, and there's nothing accusing in her tone, just neutral questioning.]

[He doesn't flinch, but he stills, staring into the slit in Emily-Helen's side.]

I was hoping you wouldn't ask, to be frank.

[After a moment he resumes his task.]

When Skulduggery attempted to throw out a death-aura, I had to counter him with the same or he would have taken me, and that would have destroyed the shield protecting you. I ... overlooked ... the fact that my shield, forged of my shadows, wouldn't have protected you against me.

[Fascinating. Unsettling, yes, that she actually was briefly dead, but here she stands, and they succeeded that day. Intent, and the fact he could remedy it quickly, does a lot to put her at some kind of peace with the idea.]

[She does, however, think she recognizes that stillness, and the refusal to look at her. Oh, Solomon, what are you expecting.]

[Still fairly neutral:] You noticed and compensated quickly, at least.

As soon as I had broken Skulduggery's aura, yes.

[It hadn't exactly been easy. He couldn't have risked trying to use her--he didn't know if it was possible to return someone already used for power.]

[A decisive nod, though she's aware she's probably out of his field of vision.] Fast enough I wasn't initially sure what had happened.

[And a breath, slightly heavier on the exhalation, not quite a sigh.] I appreciate your honesty. [She really, really does; she's not sure what she'd have done if he'd actively tried to conceal it, or even if she would have caught that.]

[Somehow it's the last part that makes him pause. He's not sure why; possibly it's because no one's appreciated it when he has been honest before.]

You're welcome.

[That's it? That's all she's going to say about it?]

[She'd much rather uncomfortable honesty than that he lie to her.]

[Well, it was all she was going to say about it, but there's something strangely expectant about his silence, and whatever it is she'd like to understand. She pauses, finally straight-out asks,] What are you thinking, Solomon?

[It's only now that he straightens, though after a pause, letting his shadows dissolve for a moment while he looks at her.]

I'm wondering why you can simply accept the fact that I murdered you. Most people would take issue with that.

[The last is said rather dryly.]

[Oh good, he's looking at her. That's much better.]

[Raine raises her eyebrows a little. Tilts her head just a little to one side, as if she's just everyday curious.] Did you intend to, then?

[Intent is a large part of the battle. A beat, then she adds,] And do you regret it?

[This one she's pretty sure she knows the answer to, but some things really do benefit from being said aloud.]

No.

[It comes out almost brusque with the unexpected force of the answer, and he glances away again to collect himself. In contrast his answer to the second question comes out soft.]

Yes.

[As she thought. Good. She carefully ignores, does not examine the way some emotion twists, deep in her gut, at the force of his answers. Anyone would regret accidentally killing a friend; now is not the time to read any deeper than that.]

[What she does do is take a couple of steps toward him.]

Then why should I take issue? You slipped, and you fixed your mistake. That's all. I'm alive and well.

[There's no sense dwelling on what can't be changed now.]

[He watches her come closer and even though it's Raine, and Raine is too practical to do anything in this location, with what they're doing--despite that something about the flicker of emotion in her eyes and the way she steps forward is alien to Raine. Alien and a little exciting at once, but exciting in all the wrong ways for their duty now.

[Unintentional. Certainly unintentional. But it still makes Solomon more aware of her in a way he hadn't been before, at least not consciously. It's conscious now, and he holds himself still, examining her face with an impassive expression of his own.]

Not many people would view it as simply as that.

[Definitely unintentional. Even if she may have progressed to admitting it to herself? Not now. Definitely not here.]

[She doesn't quite know what to make of that impassivity, but she does have a point to make, and so Raine stays right where she is, meeting his gaze as evenly as she can. She's also determinedly continuing to ignore anything more than simply the conversation they're having.] I suppose not.

I have had some time to consider the possibility, however. [It's possible she might not have been quite this graceful the day of.] And it's not something either of us can change. There's little point in belaboring it.

[He didn't intend to; he regrets it; he'd probably change it if he could. That's more than enough to move forward with.]

[It's not exactly difficult, focussing on just the conversation, but there's still a little section of Solomon's mind where he has to note the fact that he appreciates how Raine meets his eyes. Always has. He just hadn't noticed, because she reminded him so strongly of Morwenna.

[... Solomon's not sure what it says about him, that he's attracted to a woman who does remind him so strongly of Morwenna.]

You're a very practical person, Raine.

[But he's smiling, just a little, and it's wry and accepting even though he doesn't understand how she could just dismiss it like that. But he turns back to Emily-Helen, and the tension that had gathered at Raine's question has left again.]

[She matches the smile, and when he turns, the change in the air is like she's been holding her breath and only now just realized she can breathe again. Raine watches his back for a moment, wondering where her better judgment is.]

[She really thought she had a better handle on her emotions than this.]

[She joins him properly at Emily-Helen's side again once she's sure that sentiment isn't going to prove an obstruction, waiting for the next organ he gets free.]

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