He carefully set her back down on the pile of bedding, and went to refill the bowl, this time for himself. Borealis, humiliated and ashamed, did her best to stop the tears she could feel welling up behind her closed eyelids from falling, but it was no use.
Cassus heard her slight whimper, and the sniffles she was so desperately trying to silence... sighing, he once again set the bowl down beside the bedding, and lifted her onto his lap, trying to silently comfort her as he held her close. Though she wanted to run away, and her pride was screaming at her to stop being so useless, it had been a long time since she had had someone to comfort her...
Cassus soothed her until her tears ran dry and her breathing evened out, and then replaced her on the bedding, re-covered her with the blanket, and ate his (now cold) soup, making sure that he could hear her even breathing all the while...
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