When he'd made the offer, Ellis had anticipated something like accompanying Richard on an errand rather than casual dismemberment.
Between them, Ellis takes the proferred hand. Maybe not Richard's intent, but Ellis takes hold of his palm as if to size up the job. His thumb presses into the center of Richard's palm.
"Aye," Ellis says after a moment. "I'll take it off for you."
A neater solution than the Joining, perhaps. It at least has higher odds of survival, if Ellis does his job right.
Dick, who is technically the taller of the two of them, quails almost imperceptibly at contact, shrinking in on himself by the measure of half a nervous scoff, only to iron it out entirely in the time it takes him to breathe in again. Yes, good. Ideal, even, to have the first person you ask agree, particularly when you’ve already seen the force of the follow through on their swing.
“Then you can call me for help any time you need it.”
He closes his hand around Ellis’ press, gentle, very normal thanks, with a normal amount of eye contact, and takes a confident step back, evidently galvanized by this reassurance.
“I should start back before dark.”
In particular, it has galvanized him into breaking away to collect his satchel so that he can leave.
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no subject
Date: 2020-09-01 02:14 am (UTC)Between them, Ellis takes the proferred hand. Maybe not Richard's intent, but Ellis takes hold of his palm as if to size up the job. His thumb presses into the center of Richard's palm.
"Aye," Ellis says after a moment. "I'll take it off for you."
A neater solution than the Joining, perhaps. It at least has higher odds of survival, if Ellis does his job right.
no subject
Date: 2020-09-01 04:19 am (UTC)“Then you can call me for help any time you need it.”
He closes his hand around Ellis’ press, gentle, very normal thanks, with a normal amount of eye contact, and takes a confident step back, evidently galvanized by this reassurance.
“I should start back before dark.”
In particular, it has galvanized him into breaking away to collect his satchel so that he can leave.