( despite how easily she falls under the landslide of it all, the constant reminder of why she'd come to cadelle the reason it'd been any bit difficult to talk herself into that car with him, it's not enough to suppress her sense of empathy. it reverberates, something others knew of her readily, something her mother had even claimed was a weakness. passion, caring more for others than she does herself.

and so once more gaze drifts to him, and immediately all of that guilt, all of that sorrow falls to a hushed static. that downturn of his lips— it doesn't fit him, naturally so bubbly and warm and open. )

Hey. ( a furrow of brows, reaching over with a hand that's only hesitant the moment before it touches him to settle across his forearm, his knuckles gripped white to the shift amidst the console. ) We've all got things we want to make up for. That's why we're here, no?

( a last score of her thumb, meant to sooth, before she's bringing touch back to her own lap. ) I wouldn't have come tonight if that were true.

( and yeah, maybe she doesn't know, hasn't learned enough about him to make that sort of claim, but that iron trust raveled within her gut for him, it didn't mean nothing. )