[ For one brief, terrible moment, his heart drops into the pit of his stomach, because there's something all too familiar about calling out to her and having her look at him as if he were a stranger. It happened before-- he remembers now. Him, desperate for her to see him, to know he was her father, only for her to become frightened before another man whisked her away, calling himself her father. And then he remembers the day happening again, and again, until he finally gave up in despair.
It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to him, but it feels as real as every other strange and contradictory thing he's remembered.
She doesn't know her name. (It's just like before.) Jefferson's trying to hold back the tears, though they prickle and sting a little in his eyes, but though every instinct tells him to go run away with his tail between his legs (coward that he is), he holds his ground and nods. ]
Yes. Grace. That's... [ He pauses to compose himself, to keep his voice from breaking. ] That's your name.
[ He looks at her like he's trying to will her to remember. (Please. Please remember me this time.) He tries to keep it together. But as soon as she's closing the distance between him-- always braver than he ever was-- and her arms pull him into a hug, Jefferson can't help the sob of relief or the tears that follow. It's like all the tension has left his body, and he sinks down to wrap his arms around her properly, his heart breaking once again at her plea.
He left her once before. Sent her to the neighbors and said he'd be back in time for tea. And then he never returned...
Jefferson presses a kiss to her forehead and shuts his eyes. ]
no subject
It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to him, but it feels as real as every other strange and contradictory thing he's remembered.
She doesn't know her name. (It's just like before.) Jefferson's trying to hold back the tears, though they prickle and sting a little in his eyes, but though every instinct tells him to go run away with his tail between his legs (coward that he is), he holds his ground and nods. ]
Yes. Grace. That's... [ He pauses to compose himself, to keep his voice from breaking. ] That's your name.
[ He looks at her like he's trying to will her to remember. (Please. Please remember me this time.) He tries to keep it together. But as soon as she's closing the distance between him-- always braver than he ever was-- and her arms pull him into a hug, Jefferson can't help the sob of relief or the tears that follow. It's like all the tension has left his body, and he sinks down to wrap his arms around her properly, his heart breaking once again at her plea.
He left her once before. Sent her to the neighbors and said he'd be back in time for tea. And then he never returned...
Jefferson presses a kiss to her forehead and shuts his eyes. ]
Never. I'll never leave you again, my Grace.