Luckily, the train is heated, but the walk from the provided housing in the Down to the train station and from the train station to Hermes' house are both chilly trips. He's trying not to shiver or even look overly cold as he approaches Hermes door and knocks briskly, hoping he'll be quick to let him in. Of course, as he waits, a cold wind cuts through him, leaving him fighting even harder to keep himself from shivering. He's absolutely regretting being too prideful to wrap himself up in the blanket that had been on his bed.
The knock is answered as soon as Hermes hears it, opening the door and ushering G'raha inside quickly. It's far too chilly to be out for long. He just wishes the man had asked him sooner.
Although, then again, he'd have had no reason to.
"Come in, please. Can I get you something warm to drink?"
He looks even smaller than usual as Hermes opens the door, holding his arms, huddled over in an attempt to protect against the cold wind. He quickly shuffles inside once he's beckoned in.
He perks up so much at the offer of a hot drink.
"P-please," He nods, trying to force a smile but shivering too much to really manage anything that looks genuine.
Gesturing for G'raha to follow him, Hermes takes a quick step inside the sitting room to grab one of the blanket throws off the sofa. He returns and wraps it around the miqo'te's shoulders with a small smile.
"Come to the kitchen then. You will have to tell me what you would like. There is tea and instant coffee...ah and some powered hot chocolate?"
"Thank you," He says quietly, wrapping the blanket tightly around him and trying his best to look relieved. Honestly, he's still freezing and trying not to shiver but a warm drink will help a lot.
"I do." It's a simple request he can fulfill at least. The chill that doesn't seem to leave the miqo'te doesn't go unnoticed. Frowning softly to himself Hermes turns back to the other man before resting a hand atop his shoulder, sliding it beneath the blanket he'd given him.
"A moment...mayhaps this will help." A warmth comes forth from Hermes hand as he casts a bit of magic, a spell to keep the air around G'raha heated temporarily. "A spot of magic ought to do the trick."
G'raha's eyes drift closed as he smiles softly at the warmth, naturally leaning into it as if Hermes were the heater and not just producing magic. He ends up taking a step closer and leaning lightly into Hermes.
"That is exceptionally pleasant," He tells him quietly, a hint of a purr in his breath as he exhales. The deep chill finally dissipating.
Honestly, it's a relief he can bring him any comfort at all. They may not be 'friends' anymore, by virtue of G'raha not remembering, but that didn't remove any of the fondness Hermes still felt for him.
"The effect should last long enough for you to adjust."
Despite the pleasant warmth surrounding him, he still seems a little reluctant to pull away but he knows he should give Hermes room to make the tea.
"Do you recall how long I was here before? It's still quite disconcerting to think about - that I could have done something, lived a short time, and not recall it," His ears swivel back as he thinks about it.
He can only imagine how uncomfortable it is, to not have one's memory any longer. There had been a few nights where he'd drunk too much and ended up unable to recall much of anything that had happened prior...but what G'raha was experiencing was far more grave.
"It was a few moons for certain." Enough that they had contracted and lived together. Enough for Hermes to grow comfortable with the miqo'te's presence.
His eyes widen but he quickly recovers, trying his best to maintain a neutral smile.
"I see," He says slowly, trying to buy himself some time as he debates whether or not he wants to broach this topic. In the end, he decides he needs to know, "Were you and I... intimate? Have we...?"
Ah. He should've expected a question like this. Swallowing Hermes finds his face heating up. Despite his tan skin there's definitely a flush there on his cheeks as he looks away, opting to start making tea for the two of them.
"...We were, yes. Many times, in fact. O-Of course that does not mean I expect the same intimacy from you now."
"Many times?" He echoes, eyes widening slightly. It's strange to think this man, this person who he's barely acquainted with might know him, his body, more intimately than he knows himself.
He hesitates for a moment before reaching out to lightly brush his hand over Hermes'.
"I would like to get to know you again - to work toward that level of trust and intimacy. I trusted you before... that has to mean something," He says softly with a shy, hopeful smile.
Hermes can't help but feel his heart skip at the brush of fingers against his hand. It's something he wasn't expecting and it has his heart swelling as he glances back at G'raha. That smile too, is deadly, in its hopeful sweetness.
"If that is what you wish, I too would like that."
Even if he didn't end up being intimate with him again, he would be more than happy to simply have the other man's company.
"Of course it is. We were obviously quite close. I should thank you, not only for helping me now... but for helping me during my previous stay here," His gaze moves past Hermes to the kettle that's just starting to boil audibly.
"I believe the water is ready. Can I help you with anything?" He glances around, realizing he might be more in the way in the kitchen than helpful since he doesn't know where anything is.
G'raha has to push up onto his toes, maybe even magically hovering just the tiniest bit to reach the mugs in the cupboard, smiling as he sets them down.
"A splash of milk and some honey will do quite nicely, thank you."
Well that's easy enough to accommodate. Once the mugs are down on the counter Hermes goes about fixing them both a cup of tea. Milk and honey is added to both, with perhaps a bit more honey in his own, before he hands the mug meant for G'raha to him.
Gesturing toward the sitting room Hermes leads G'raha back out of the kitchen. He'll let the miqo'te pick where he wishes to sit first before making himself comfortable.
He settles on the couch, tucking his legs up under him, his tail curling neatly around him, the tip of it tapping against the cushion lightly. He keeps his hands wrapped around his mug, taking a small sip, smiling softly.
"Please, join me," He asks, patting beside him. He'd prefer to sit close, even better if they can be touching but he won't press his luck.
The little pat is all Hermes needs to be encouraged to join him on the sofa. Down he sits, keeping a bit of space between then, but only out of politeness. He wouldn't mind being closer to G'raha. He enjoyed it when they had been in the past, after all.
A sip of his tea has him smiling over the rim of the cup.
"It would take less time if we were closer," He points out with a soft smile, taking the initiative to crawl carefully closer, making sure not to spill his tea as he settles against Hermes. He can feel the warmth from his body already, not that he's all too cold anymore, and tucks his feet up, curling his tail around himself as he takes a sip of the tea.
"I imagine we've done this before," He says with a thoughtful tilt of his head, taking another sip as he wraps his hands around the cup to let it warm his fingers.
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Luckily, the train is heated, but the walk from the provided housing in the Down to the train station and from the train station to Hermes' house are both chilly trips. He's trying not to shiver or even look overly cold as he approaches Hermes door and knocks briskly, hoping he'll be quick to let him in. Of course, as he waits, a cold wind cuts through him, leaving him fighting even harder to keep himself from shivering. He's absolutely regretting being too prideful to wrap himself up in the blanket that had been on his bed.
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Although, then again, he'd have had no reason to.
"Come in, please. Can I get you something warm to drink?"
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He perks up so much at the offer of a hot drink.
"P-please," He nods, trying to force a smile but shivering too much to really manage anything that looks genuine.
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"Come to the kitchen then. You will have to tell me what you would like. There is tea and instant coffee...ah and some powered hot chocolate?"
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"Some tea would be lovely," He agrees.
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At least Hermes can make some tea. He may be incompetent in the kitchen but this is one small task he can do.
"Is black all right?"
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He's trying to give Hermes plenty of space to prepare the tea, but he also desperately wants to share a bit of body heat with the man.
"Thank you. I appreciate it. And the blanket," He says quietly.
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"A moment...mayhaps this will help." A warmth comes forth from Hermes hand as he casts a bit of magic, a spell to keep the air around G'raha heated temporarily. "A spot of magic ought to do the trick."
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"That is exceptionally pleasant," He tells him quietly, a hint of a purr in his breath as he exhales. The deep chill finally dissipating.
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Honestly, it's a relief he can bring him any comfort at all. They may not be 'friends' anymore, by virtue of G'raha not remembering, but that didn't remove any of the fondness Hermes still felt for him.
"The effect should last long enough for you to adjust."
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Despite the pleasant warmth surrounding him, he still seems a little reluctant to pull away but he knows he should give Hermes room to make the tea.
"Do you recall how long I was here before? It's still quite disconcerting to think about - that I could have done something, lived a short time, and not recall it," His ears swivel back as he thinks about it.
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"It was a few moons for certain." Enough that they had contracted and lived together. Enough for Hermes to grow comfortable with the miqo'te's presence.
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"I see," He says slowly, trying to buy himself some time as he debates whether or not he wants to broach this topic. In the end, he decides he needs to know, "Were you and I... intimate? Have we...?"
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"...We were, yes. Many times, in fact. O-Of course that does not mean I expect the same intimacy from you now."
Only if he wanted it and really, why would he?
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He hesitates for a moment before reaching out to lightly brush his hand over Hermes'.
"I would like to get to know you again - to work toward that level of trust and intimacy. I trusted you before... that has to mean something," He says softly with a shy, hopeful smile.
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"If that is what you wish, I too would like that."
Even if he didn't end up being intimate with him again, he would be more than happy to simply have the other man's company.
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"I believe the water is ready. Can I help you with anything?" He glances around, realizing he might be more in the way in the kitchen than helpful since he doesn't know where anything is.
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He's already gotten out the tea bags and other fixings such as milk, sugar and honey set out on the counter.
"Do you like milk, sugar, or honey?"
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"A splash of milk and some honey will do quite nicely, thank you."
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"Here you are."
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"Shall we sit?" He asks, heading back toward the couch.
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Gesturing toward the sitting room Hermes leads G'raha back out of the kitchen. He'll let the miqo'te pick where he wishes to sit first before making himself comfortable.
"Please, make yourself comfortable G'raha."
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"Please, join me," He asks, patting beside him. He'd prefer to sit close, even better if they can be touching but he won't press his luck.
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A sip of his tea has him smiling over the rim of the cup.
"Hopefully it will not take long to warm up."
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"I imagine we've done this before," He says with a thoughtful tilt of his head, taking another sip as he wraps his hands around the cup to let it warm his fingers.
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