Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2023 13:56:14 GMT -5
Silence was a very powerful tool, and it often said much, much more than the words that might have otherwise filled it, and as time lingered, Thom watched Temperance very carefully. Of course, some of the things he had done were beyond the scope of the law, and if she brought up the subject of Lord Mandrill, he would be left without the proverbial leg to stand on. As time ticked onward, however, her face was a study in anger, worry, confusion, and for a brief moment, he almost thought he knew what she was thinking. It was true, people rarely learned when the ability to choose was taken out of their hands, but for all of his aggression, Gael hadn't killed anyone. Not that they knew of. Of course, that was certainly something Thom was now strongly invested in looking into. Once they got Gael out of the greenhouse, at least.
If she took that step, if that snake uncoiled from her arm and struck out at the man on the floor... he would understand, because it had taken so much of his own tenuous control to keep himself from simply crushing the addict's throat with his bare hands after taking him down to the floor. But he had handed the decision to her because Gael had been her patient, because she had once wanted to help him, and been opposed to seeing him come to harm. And because, for all of her anger and the snake...thing twining around her shoulders, because Thom wanted her to know that he still trusted her judgement, whatever it was. And whatever her final decision was, that he would follow it, and pass no more judgement of his own.
When it finally did come, when the three pairs of eyes watching her settled slightly, two in relief, one in confusion, Thom rose off of Gael, letting him up to his feet before Mariana trussed up his wrists with a small length of rope from her belt and marched him out of the greenhouse, taking him safely across the garden without bothering the plants. For Temperance's sake. Thom watched until they were out of sight, only then allowing his shoulders to slump as he turned towards where she leaned against the desk.
"That was selfish of me to ask" he murmured, reaching for her wounded hand with careful fingers, pressing a cloth into it, before he reached up to gently brush her cheek with his fingertips. "I just couldn't stand the thought of that man still out there in the world, 'free', for lack of a better term." He glanced down at the blood on her neck, on her dress, swallowing quietly at how close they both had been to losing their measures of control. "And I didn't want you to kill him, because then I wouldn't have had the pleasure myself. So I was selfish." With a small sigh, he leaned down, resting his forehead against her shoulder, warm breath tickling at her neck. "Forgive me?"
If she took that step, if that snake uncoiled from her arm and struck out at the man on the floor... he would understand, because it had taken so much of his own tenuous control to keep himself from simply crushing the addict's throat with his bare hands after taking him down to the floor. But he had handed the decision to her because Gael had been her patient, because she had once wanted to help him, and been opposed to seeing him come to harm. And because, for all of her anger and the snake...thing twining around her shoulders, because Thom wanted her to know that he still trusted her judgement, whatever it was. And whatever her final decision was, that he would follow it, and pass no more judgement of his own.
When it finally did come, when the three pairs of eyes watching her settled slightly, two in relief, one in confusion, Thom rose off of Gael, letting him up to his feet before Mariana trussed up his wrists with a small length of rope from her belt and marched him out of the greenhouse, taking him safely across the garden without bothering the plants. For Temperance's sake. Thom watched until they were out of sight, only then allowing his shoulders to slump as he turned towards where she leaned against the desk.
"That was selfish of me to ask" he murmured, reaching for her wounded hand with careful fingers, pressing a cloth into it, before he reached up to gently brush her cheek with his fingertips. "I just couldn't stand the thought of that man still out there in the world, 'free', for lack of a better term." He glanced down at the blood on her neck, on her dress, swallowing quietly at how close they both had been to losing their measures of control. "And I didn't want you to kill him, because then I wouldn't have had the pleasure myself. So I was selfish." With a small sigh, he leaned down, resting his forehead against her shoulder, warm breath tickling at her neck. "Forgive me?"