Knowing that he didn't mind her chilly touch, and in fact seemed to enjoy it, meant Ilana more often than not would often subconsciously hesitate to touch him, almost as though there would be rejection. Just seeing his reaction to the impulsive touch, however, was still ever a happy small surprise. She was... not comfortable with casual touch yet. But somehow, some way, he was drawing her out of that.
At his words of irritation, she nodded once, rising. "I'll go call for her--"
The warm touch to her arm still trailed goosebumps; the room itself was chilly, and he was a siren lure of warmth, not just physically but emotionally as well. She paused at his words, and paused uncertainly. It was true, she no longer felt the innate instinctual urge to hover, but... the need to remain stayed firm. And at sensing his emotions, possibly even the turn of his thoughts... she glanced back to his face, to the subtle interplay. The guilt. A subtle tang... was it fear?
She hesitated, and then lightly brushed her own free fingers over his own. "...You're right, I don't have to stay," she whispered in a low rasp. "But... I... want to. If you don't mind my being here." She glanced over his features, and there was a look. She understood what was playing through his mind.. and when she rose, she came closer. Her fingers ghosted, a feather-light touch, against the line of his jaw, the faintest caress.
"None of it was your fault," she rasped low, almost intimately. "I will be alright. Believe me." She smiled once... then turned away. "I'll grab the nurse, just give me a moment." And with that, she turned away, off to find the nurse that he might have talked to earlier.
Just to confirm... and to help him with the bandages.
@TerranSteel
At his words of irritation, she nodded once, rising. "I'll go call for her--"
The warm touch to her arm still trailed goosebumps; the room itself was chilly, and he was a siren lure of warmth, not just physically but emotionally as well. She paused at his words, and paused uncertainly. It was true, she no longer felt the innate instinctual urge to hover, but... the need to remain stayed firm. And at sensing his emotions, possibly even the turn of his thoughts... she glanced back to his face, to the subtle interplay. The guilt. A subtle tang... was it fear?
She hesitated, and then lightly brushed her own free fingers over his own. "...You're right, I don't have to stay," she whispered in a low rasp. "But... I... want to. If you don't mind my being here." She glanced over his features, and there was a look. She understood what was playing through his mind.. and when she rose, she came closer. Her fingers ghosted, a feather-light touch, against the line of his jaw, the faintest caress.
"None of it was your fault," she rasped low, almost intimately. "I will be alright. Believe me." She smiled once... then turned away. "I'll grab the nurse, just give me a moment." And with that, she turned away, off to find the nurse that he might have talked to earlier.
Just to confirm... and to help him with the bandages.
@TerranSteel