What's the prognosis, doc?

Ulric watched Aranea's paws shift to rest over top his own, for a moment distracted from his painful emotions and thoughts by the sheer size difference between his oversized paws and hers that were delicate and dainty. He of course understood the fact that he dwarfed her drastically - a fact that was fairly true for a lot of wolves he encountered - but something about seeing that stark difference like this caught him off guard. Her attempt to bring his gaze up to hers didn't go unnoticed and he willingly lifted his head enough to let his silver eyes meet the clear blue pools of hers. He listened to each soothing word she said as if it was the only thing holding him together, which wasn't that far off from the truth. There were some things he immediately had responses to, but he held them back for now and just let her speak. Hearing her voice was calming and helped him work through his own thoughts far better than he would have if he was just left to his own devices.

After a long, quiet moment of continuing to search her gaze and process his thoughts, he glanced down to her paw that was resting over his on his uninjured leg. He shifted the stacked paws over till they were centered between them and slipped his other paw free from hers, bringing it over to rest on top of hers - gently holding her paw between both of his. "I don't regret our night together. I don't want you to think that I do," he quietly insisted as he brought his gaze up to meet hers again. "Please know that I... I do want you. I'm not sure what will happen if Azariah returns and I don't want to hurt you in the process, but... I do think what we shared was okay and I would like to share more moments with you... if you'll have me." He knew that he was a broken man, damaged by time and the events of his life. It was still a shock to him when anyone actively took an interest in him. Perhaps that's why he had fallen for Azariah so hard and so fast. He couldn't say that he was nearly healed enough or ready to do the same again, but finding a small bit of refuge with Aranea whenever time allowed was something he'd allow himself to indulge in.

"Mostly because... you're right. I don't let them see my pain - or at least I try my very best not to. Sometimes I slip, but I do want to be strong for them. I just... I don't know if I can do it on my own. Being alone... That's worn on me more than anything else." He wasn't sure what the right or proper answer to his suffering was, but Aranea was at least offering him a bit of companionship and affection if nothing else. He felt like denying himself that would only hurt himself more in the long run and would wear him down till he could no longer care for his children the way he wished to.

He paused, searching Aranea's gaze again while his paw flexed over top of hers and gently squeezed it between his paw pads. "But... What about you? I feel like I've only brought you my troubles in exchange for... for what? There are other men that could keep you company if that's all that you want that would be far less messy to be with. So... Why me?"

Walk | "Talk" | think