Dorian goes rigid when the Bull’s hand curls around his wrist, caught between freezing and yanking his hand away – mostly out of instinct and surprise. Then, when the Bull offers his explanation, Dorian shudders a little with revulsion, paling a little at the much needed reminder.
He tries to force some of the tension away, his fingers curling toward his palm, and he mumbles something along the lines of, "Quite right."
Ridiculous, that he should be so careless. He had spent the entire trip down into these Maker-forsaken tunnels thinking about Felix, thinking about the endless days and nights he spent with Alexius trying to save Felix’s life, and here he was, forgetting.
He takes another breath, and while he's nowhere near as relaxed as before, he manages to at least appear to be.
"No need to flatter yourself," Dorian finally replies, and he applauds himself for sounding as haughty as he usually does, even if his heart isn't exactly in it. He pauses, eyes narrowing and gaze sliding slightly past the Bull's shoulder. It's a split-second hesitation before he offers a little more smoothly, a little more quietly, "I'm sure it could handle you just fine.
"In any case," and his voice returns to normal – sharp but somehow lilting, "if this is your way of saying no, you need only come out and say so. You needn't attempt to fluster me into changing the topic, as you're so fond of doing. But I've made the offer, and as horribly received as it has been, I don't intend to rescind it."
no subject
He tries to force some of the tension away, his fingers curling toward his palm, and he mumbles something along the lines of, "Quite right."
Ridiculous, that he should be so careless. He had spent the entire trip down into these Maker-forsaken tunnels thinking about Felix, thinking about the endless days and nights he spent with Alexius trying to save Felix’s life, and here he was, forgetting.
He takes another breath, and while he's nowhere near as relaxed as before, he manages to at least appear to be.
"No need to flatter yourself," Dorian finally replies, and he applauds himself for sounding as haughty as he usually does, even if his heart isn't exactly in it. He pauses, eyes narrowing and gaze sliding slightly past the Bull's shoulder. It's a split-second hesitation before he offers a little more smoothly, a little more quietly, "I'm sure it could handle you just fine.
"In any case," and his voice returns to normal – sharp but somehow lilting, "if this is your way of saying no, you need only come out and say so. You needn't attempt to fluster me into changing the topic, as you're so fond of doing. But I've made the offer, and as horribly received as it has been, I don't intend to rescind it."