When Dorian touches his shoulder the Bull's body flinches. Strung too tight, too in his head, not aware enough of his surroundings- forget it. It doesn't matter. He focuses on what's actually happening around him right now, what Dorian's trying to tell him, what Dorian's trying to do.
He moves back, slowly, as he watches. Hadn't let himself consider that Dorian would do this, use that freaky, glorious magic of his to get them the fuck out of here. Cause if he considered it he'd start thinking he needed Dorian to do it, maybe needed it more than they both needed to decide whether it's safe. Maybe needed it enough to push Dorian to do it, whether it was actually a good idea or not. But Dorian's wrapped his arms in magic now all on his own and wrapped all that loose stone up in it too and the Bull watches it, tries to point his mind toward that while his body does the slow, too-careful work of turning himself the other way again.
That magic is the best thing happening in this damn tunnel and isn't that messed up, that that's what he has to hold on to but it's here, and then there's airflow, what passes for an actual breeze and he holds himself still, doesn't charge on past Dorian out into the open but waits for Dorian to go, to make room, and then stops once he's out there, trying to make his breathing slow down again as he leans against the wall.
Weight on the palms, swing the right knee up quick so the left doesn't have to hold him up for too long, and now upright. Upright, don't let the part of him that expects to hit a wall, a ceiling, make him hesitate, doesn't matter how tensed up he is as long as he gets it done, balance with the wall, hop up. Stand up, or get closer to it. No extra weight on the leg, but keep trying to use the pain. And if his body's still a little worked up, thinks there's something it needs to come down from - well, his body's a little stupid sometimes. Doesn't know what it needs. He knows what it needs. What they both need right now, for the Bull to be as close to reliable as this leg's going to let him get.
His breathing pulls in and out unsteady for a couple seconds more, and then doesn't shake at all. He lets himself swallow exactly once. And then the Bull looks around. Focuses. He can focus a little better now, feels it coming easier. It isn't taking as much work.
Things smell just a little worse out in the sort-of open air, but he's learned that he can't trust his nose down here as much as he thinks. What else can he figure out? They're not in the middle of these ruins any more, it looks like. Closer to the edge, nearer to that cliff wall. Not necessarily good news, but it could be.
"Your little... light thing," he says as he glances back at Dorian, voice steady and sure, mostly. "How far can it go? The quicker we see everything we're working with, the quicker we get out."
(ooc: That works! Bull's state of mind gave me plenty to say, and as soon as they start moving we can have the darkspawn come too so that should give us plenty)
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He moves back, slowly, as he watches. Hadn't let himself consider that Dorian would do this, use that freaky, glorious magic of his to get them the fuck out of here. Cause if he considered it he'd start thinking he needed Dorian to do it, maybe needed it more than they both needed to decide whether it's safe. Maybe needed it enough to push Dorian to do it, whether it was actually a good idea or not. But Dorian's wrapped his arms in magic now all on his own and wrapped all that loose stone up in it too and the Bull watches it, tries to point his mind toward that while his body does the slow, too-careful work of turning himself the other way again.
That magic is the best thing happening in this damn tunnel and isn't that messed up, that that's what he has to hold on to but it's here, and then there's airflow, what passes for an actual breeze and he holds himself still, doesn't charge on past Dorian out into the open but waits for Dorian to go, to make room, and then stops once he's out there, trying to make his breathing slow down again as he leans against the wall.
Weight on the palms, swing the right knee up quick so the left doesn't have to hold him up for too long, and now upright. Upright, don't let the part of him that expects to hit a wall, a ceiling, make him hesitate, doesn't matter how tensed up he is as long as he gets it done, balance with the wall, hop up. Stand up, or get closer to it. No extra weight on the leg, but keep trying to use the pain. And if his body's still a little worked up, thinks there's something it needs to come down from - well, his body's a little stupid sometimes. Doesn't know what it needs. He knows what it needs. What they both need right now, for the Bull to be as close to reliable as this leg's going to let him get.
His breathing pulls in and out unsteady for a couple seconds more, and then doesn't shake at all. He lets himself swallow exactly once. And then the Bull looks around. Focuses. He can focus a little better now, feels it coming easier. It isn't taking as much work.
Things smell just a little worse out in the sort-of open air, but he's learned that he can't trust his nose down here as much as he thinks. What else can he figure out? They're not in the middle of these ruins any more, it looks like. Closer to the edge, nearer to that cliff wall. Not necessarily good news, but it could be.
"Your little... light thing," he says as he glances back at Dorian, voice steady and sure, mostly. "How far can it go? The quicker we see everything we're working with, the quicker we get out."
(ooc: That works! Bull's state of mind gave me plenty to say, and as soon as they start moving we can have the darkspawn come too so that should give us plenty)