[She probably could have held onto him all day, as a physical reminder that not all those from Fódlan who have become as dear as a true family to her have gone where she will never see them again. (Lorenz, at this time, can be counted among them, though he might not live in the same house. She can’t know that in a matter of months, he will also leave.)]
[She could certainly hugged him for less than a minute, letting the old voices of shame and doubt lead her to letting go early with apologies for forcing such a thing on him. (The thought certainly crosses her mind as her instincts interpret his surprise as a sign that he is letting her do this reluctantly. But as kind as she is sure Hubert is, she is also confident that he would tell her if this is beyond what he’s willing to do.)]
[But she balances out a compromise between her need for comfort and her reluctance to bother anyone instead. Some minutes pass quietly without her grip slackening at all, but eventually, her hug slowly loosens until she lets go and sits up again, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes.]
Thank you.
[She’s repeating herself, but she isn’t really sure what to say right now. After a moment, she thinks back to the way he worded his question.]
You gave me what I needed. I’ll...try to be okay now.
[Not that things are okay, but she will try to be as close as she is able to manage.]
[Hubert doesn't question the embrace's duration, nor is he particularly mindful of it. He owed Leslie this much—no, more, and he would do whatever she needed. It wasn't enough, it wasn't bringing Edelgard back or the Salvatores to her... but perhaps, standing in Edelgard's shadow in a different respect could be enough.]
[He doesn't move until Leslie does. Hubert watches the girl closely, dissatisfied with her words.]
Of course. Please, don't hesitate if there is anything else. I... [Hubert shakes his head, taking a quiet breath.] I know how to protect you, but little else. Your guardianship is a serious matter to me.
[Hubert almost leaves it there, but ten months is a fair time to get to know the girl, particularly one that wears her heart on her sleeve.] You are not a bother. You may come to me at any time.
[It's Leslie's turn to look surprised. Are you a mind-reader, Marquis Vestra?! ...is not quite what she thinks, but it does seem she still underestimates how much she wears her heart on her sleeve here. (It hasn't quite been a year since she first met someone who cared enough to look, after all.)]
...Thank you. I'll -- I'll do that. But please tell me if you're in the middle of something important when I come.
[There's a short pause, but she looks as though she has more to say. He's not the only one dissatisfied with something the other said.]
It's not true, that you don't know much else about being --
[Would it be "my guardian," when he said her guardianship? She stumbles over it and says something less intense to her.]
-- about looking after me. You've always been very kind to me, ever since I arrived. And...I think, without you, I would have been terrified of fire for the rest of my life.
[It isn't that she's not still afraid of fire. She thought when Mikasa had taught her some things about simple baking that she'd learn how to bake and cook and help out with that. Everything went fine until the moment she tried to place the bread into an oven heated by either wood-fed fire or gas-fed fire. And she still can't bring herself to confront the stove -- certainly not on a daily basis, at least.]
[But the difference between now and half a year ago is large enough for Leslie to see even through her own self-doubt. That wouldn't have happened if Hubert had not seen where the problem was and worked with her to take the small steps she could manage over and over again. It's not the only example of a time Hubert has done things for her, but it's a very important one.]
[Hubert falls quiet. He had his doubts, but it wouldn't do to so openly question Leslie after such words. He never was good at wearing praise; so, Hubert lays a hand briefly across his chest and inclining his head, as much of a suggestion of a bow as he could provide with the space between them.]
It was the least I could afford you. Even had you not been Edelgard's ward, I had no reason to bear ill-will towards you, and drive and courage such as yours deserves every opportunity it was denied.
[Which was sidestepping, perhaps. Another silent moment.] Will you truly be alright?
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no subject
[She could certainly hugged him for less than a minute, letting the old voices of shame and doubt lead her to letting go early with apologies for forcing such a thing on him. (The thought certainly crosses her mind as her instincts interpret his surprise as a sign that he is letting her do this reluctantly. But as kind as she is sure Hubert is, she is also confident that he would tell her if this is beyond what he’s willing to do.)]
[But she balances out a compromise between her need for comfort and her reluctance to bother anyone instead. Some minutes pass quietly without her grip slackening at all, but eventually, her hug slowly loosens until she lets go and sits up again, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes.]
Thank you.
[She’s repeating herself, but she isn’t really sure what to say right now. After a moment, she thinks back to the way he worded his question.]
You gave me what I needed. I’ll...try to be okay now.
[Not that things are okay, but she will try to be as close as she is able to manage.]
no subject
[He doesn't move until Leslie does. Hubert watches the girl closely, dissatisfied with her words.]
Of course. Please, don't hesitate if there is anything else. I... [Hubert shakes his head, taking a quiet breath.] I know how to protect you, but little else. Your guardianship is a serious matter to me.
[Hubert almost leaves it there, but ten months is a fair time to get to know the girl, particularly one that wears her heart on her sleeve.] You are not a bother. You may come to me at any time.
no subject
...Thank you. I'll -- I'll do that. But please tell me if you're in the middle of something important when I come.
[There's a short pause, but she looks as though she has more to say. He's not the only one dissatisfied with something the other said.]
It's not true, that you don't know much else about being --
[Would it be "my guardian," when he said her guardianship? She stumbles over it and says something less intense to her.]
-- about looking after me. You've always been very kind to me, ever since I arrived. And...I think, without you, I would have been terrified of fire for the rest of my life.
[It isn't that she's not still afraid of fire. She thought when Mikasa had taught her some things about simple baking that she'd learn how to bake and cook and help out with that. Everything went fine until the moment she tried to place the bread into an oven heated by either wood-fed fire or gas-fed fire. And she still can't bring herself to confront the stove -- certainly not on a daily basis, at least.]
[But the difference between now and half a year ago is large enough for Leslie to see even through her own self-doubt. That wouldn't have happened if Hubert had not seen where the problem was and worked with her to take the small steps she could manage over and over again. It's not the only example of a time Hubert has done things for her, but it's a very important one.]
no subject
It was the least I could afford you. Even had you not been Edelgard's ward, I had no reason to bear ill-will towards you, and drive and courage such as yours deserves every opportunity it was denied.
[Which was sidestepping, perhaps. Another silent moment.] Will you truly be alright?