“I just need a little while. A few hours. It’s people, Percival, there are too many people around me.” She couldn’t help the way her voice started to crack toward the end of the sentence.
Percival stepped back, taking her hands. “How about a picnic?”
Summer had to concentrate to keep from clinging to his hands. “Yes. Good. A picnic.” She pulled one hand away to smear at her face again.
“Nobody agrees with you.” Her voice was muffled by his shirt. “Take me out of here. Please. For a little while. I need to be away from Camelot.”
Percival sighed. “Anywhere you want. Pack some things, we’ll go anywhere you want. The castle Gawant, the forest, even Avalon.”
“I just need a little while. A few hours. It’s people, Percival, there are too many people around me.” She couldn’t help the way her voice started to crack toward the end of the sentence.
“I’m — ” She cut off, voice choked again. He didn’t know everything, and he /couldn’t/ know everything. She couldn’t even explain to him what was wrong. “Percival, you’re biased.”
“Hmm, even so. A lot of smart people agree with me. I know I can’t just zap everything better.” He held her closer and buried his face in her hair, “But I’ll do my best, because everything I do know about you tells me I should.”
“Nobody agrees with you.” Her voice was muffled by his shirt. “Take me out of here. Please. For a little while. I need to be away from Camelot.”
Summer’s voice was choked with tears, and she rubbed a hand over her swollen, red eyes. “Percival, please. I just need — I need some time. I don’t — ” Her voice fell. “I don’t like you to see me like this.”
“Summer, you don’t need to hide anything from me.” Percival stepped closer, taking her hand in his. “There’s not anything you could do to make me think less of you.”
“That isn’t what I said,” she protested, feebly. She didn’t try to take her hand back, though; his warm grip was oddly comforting.
“I just…” Percival frowned, looking downward. “I don’t want you to be alone when you’re feeling this way, it’s not good for a person, and I need you to know that I’m always here for you and I’m not going to make those mistakes I made before again and-” He trailed off, sighing, before looking back up into her eyes. “I don’t want to leave you, Summer.”
She put her face against his shoulder and just breathed, in and out, trying to swallow down more tears. She wanted to find some way to send him away, but she couldn’t think of anything he’d actually listen to. And it was completely useless to try to move him physically — he was twice her size. “Damnit, Percival,” Summer muttered helplessly.
Percival kissed the top of her head. “You’re grand. You deserve the best.”
“I’m — ” She cut off, voice choked again. He didn’t know everything, and he /couldn’t/ know everything. She couldn’t even explain to him what was wrong. “Percival, you’re biased.”
Summer’s voice was choked with tears, and she rubbed a hand over her swollen, red eyes. “Percival, please. I just need — I need some time. I don’t — ” Her voice fell. “I don’t like you to see me like this.”
“Summer, you don’t need to hide anything from me.” Percival stepped closer, taking her hand in his. “There’s not anything you could do to make me think less of you.”
“That isn’t what I said,” she protested, feebly. She didn’t try to take her hand back, though; his warm grip was oddly comforting.
“I just…” Percival frowned, looking downward. “I don’t want you to be alone when you’re feeling this way, it’s not good for a person, and I need you to know that I’m always here for you and I’m not going to make those mistakes I made before again and-” He trailed off, sighing, before looking back up into her eyes. “I don’t want to leave you, Summer.”
She put her face against his shoulder and just breathed, in and out, trying to swallow down more tears. She wanted to find some way to send him away, but she couldn’t think of anything he’d actually listen to. And it was completely useless to try to move him physically — he was twice her size. “Damnit, Percival,” Summer muttered helplessly.
Summer’s voice was choked with tears, and she rubbed a hand over her swollen, red eyes. “Percival, please. I just need — I need some time. I don’t — ” Her voice fell. “I don’t like you to see me like this.”
“Summer, you don’t need to hide anything from me.” Percival stepped closer, taking her hand in his. “There’s not anything you could do to make me think less of you.”
“That isn’t what I said,” she protested, feebly. She didn’t try to take her hand back, though; his warm grip was oddly comforting.
Summer’s voice was choked with tears, and she rubbed a hand over her swollen, red eyes. “Percival, please. I just need — I need some time. I don’t — ” Her voice fell. “I don’t like you to see me like this.”
