[ Rau’s brows knit behind the mask for a moment. It’s not that he’s weak to frankness, per se, but laying everything out fully and directly gives him very little leeway to poke and prod. That is annoying.
And that directness puts the matter of bodies squarely at the forefront. Not the matter of the body’s existence; he wraps his fingers experimentally in the hair at the base of Gil’s neck, gathering loose curls around each finger and letting them slide away before starting again -- not enough to hurt, this time, just brief, dull tugs. Even through fabric, he can feel the warmth of skin and the loose slip of hair. These bodies are real enough for present purposes. But Rau’s body has been, had been, destroying itself on the cellular level at an exponential rate. In life, that body was as fast and strong as Al da Flaga intended, which Rau had put to good use... but it had also been increasingly, agonizingly painful for his entire adult life. In death, there are no more invisible pieces to break. The nerves in his newly steady hands calmly report the warmth of body heat under his fingertips, rather than screaming over their own breakdown. Interesting.
This won’t be the worst use of a body that doesn’t protest every gesture, if.... ]
You haven’t explained how that’s supposed to make me happy, [ he rebukes, with the deliberate nonchalance of inviting a subordinate to redress an error.
This won’t be the worst use of a body that doesn’t protest every gesture, if the man beneath him can deliver on his implied promises. ]
no subject
And that directness puts the matter of bodies squarely at the forefront. Not the matter of the body’s existence; he wraps his fingers experimentally in the hair at the base of Gil’s neck, gathering loose curls around each finger and letting them slide away before starting again -- not enough to hurt, this time, just brief, dull tugs. Even through fabric, he can feel the warmth of skin and the loose slip of hair. These bodies are real enough for present purposes. But Rau’s body has been, had been, destroying itself on the cellular level at an exponential rate. In life, that body was as fast and strong as Al da Flaga intended, which Rau had put to good use... but it had also been increasingly, agonizingly painful for his entire adult life. In death, there are no more invisible pieces to break. The nerves in his newly steady hands calmly report the warmth of body heat under his fingertips, rather than screaming over their own breakdown. Interesting.
This won’t be the worst use of a body that doesn’t protest every gesture, if.... ]
You haven’t explained how that’s supposed to make me happy, [ he rebukes, with the deliberate nonchalance of inviting a subordinate to redress an error.
This won’t be the worst use of a body that doesn’t protest every gesture, if the man beneath him can deliver on his implied promises. ]