It was not difficult to see the transition in Ben as that tumultuous rage gave way in an instant to fear. Although Ari had endured the first once or twice before - one night in particular still stood stark in his mind, despite all that had succeeded it - seeing the worry on his face was almost worse. Ari might be trying to hide his desperation, but seeing it mirrored in Ben’s eyes drove home the trouble they were in. It would be a miracle if they stumbled out of this intact - it would be a miracle if they ever spent another evening together not aware of everything they were risking. (Maybe one day the risk would prove too much, and Ben would decide that this kind of life wasn’t worth it after all.)
But Ben had knelt down and changed tactic, and in spite of everything that half made Ari want to smile. As did the stranger’s horse nuzzling at Ben’s dishevelled hair. But there was little time to dwell on the glimmer of levity in the situation; Ari’s gaze returned to Mr. Holm, getting a better look at his grazed hands, and studying him warily as he offered his apologies once more (if only apologies could undo what he’d seen!) and promised never to come again.
Ari took a pace forward, reluctant to chase the stranger away so quickly with everyone still in such a state, without knowing how the dust in the air might settle by tomorrow morning. Ben had made a start on trying to repair the situation, but there was a great deal still to be done. (Ari wasn’t sure whether any of it would work. But there was no sense in not trying.) “Please, I’m sure you meant no harm,” Ari said gently, praying that that was true and might be something the younger man would hold onto, even after the fright he’d just had. “Your horse seems glad enough to be here,” he said - joked, slightly - with a faint smile, “I suppose he’s been here before?” It was nonsense to make smalltalk, probably, but at least that would set things back into the realm of familiarity, and soothe the tensions that Ari could still feel crackling about the place. Anything, really, to distract from the glaring elephant in the room. In the same vein, Ari would prefer the young man didn’t leave the place looking like a storm had hit, or fleeing like a skittish stray.
“And can I help clean up those hands, at all, Mr. - Holm, was it?” Ari offered next, nodding at the cuts and grazes (and wanting to be sure he knew a bit more about who the gentleman was, if he was going to carry their deepest secret with him). “I’m a healer.”
But Ben had knelt down and changed tactic, and in spite of everything that half made Ari want to smile. As did the stranger’s horse nuzzling at Ben’s dishevelled hair. But there was little time to dwell on the glimmer of levity in the situation; Ari’s gaze returned to Mr. Holm, getting a better look at his grazed hands, and studying him warily as he offered his apologies once more (if only apologies could undo what he’d seen!) and promised never to come again.
Ari took a pace forward, reluctant to chase the stranger away so quickly with everyone still in such a state, without knowing how the dust in the air might settle by tomorrow morning. Ben had made a start on trying to repair the situation, but there was a great deal still to be done. (Ari wasn’t sure whether any of it would work. But there was no sense in not trying.) “Please, I’m sure you meant no harm,” Ari said gently, praying that that was true and might be something the younger man would hold onto, even after the fright he’d just had. “Your horse seems glad enough to be here,” he said - joked, slightly - with a faint smile, “I suppose he’s been here before?” It was nonsense to make smalltalk, probably, but at least that would set things back into the realm of familiarity, and soothe the tensions that Ari could still feel crackling about the place. Anything, really, to distract from the glaring elephant in the room. In the same vein, Ari would prefer the young man didn’t leave the place looking like a storm had hit, or fleeing like a skittish stray.
“And can I help clean up those hands, at all, Mr. - Holm, was it?” Ari offered next, nodding at the cuts and grazes (and wanting to be sure he knew a bit more about who the gentleman was, if he was going to carry their deepest secret with him). “I’m a healer.”
