( Being stuck with a dozen distressed people in a cramped environment is absolutely exhausting. He's always been reclusive by nature, he's never been a fan of crowds unless there's a very distinct barrier between them — the division between student and teacher, for instance. There's no barrier here.
All he's got is the ability to retreat into his own mind, wade into an imaginary river. He's waist-deep in running water when she starts talking, and he blinks himself back to the present. For what it's worth, the surprise he displays is impressively muted.
It takes him a second to replay what she said, to catch sight of what she's holding for context. His lips part a half second before he actually manages to summon up an answer. )
No- ah, no thank you. I'm okay.
( It's a knee-jerk decision, one he doesn't sound terribly confident about — all the clearer when he starts eyeing them a little more. )
no subject
All he's got is the ability to retreat into his own mind, wade into an imaginary river. He's waist-deep in running water when she starts talking, and he blinks himself back to the present. For what it's worth, the surprise he displays is impressively muted.
It takes him a second to replay what she said, to catch sight of what she's holding for context. His lips part a half second before he actually manages to summon up an answer. )
No- ah, no thank you. I'm okay.
( It's a knee-jerk decision, one he doesn't sound terribly confident about — all the clearer when he starts eyeing them a little more. )