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Ciri stared into the flames in the fireplace and did her best not to cry. It was getting really hard. She didn’t even know why, and it was driving her up the wall, adding frustration to the sadness and it just. It just made it worse.
She blinked hard to stop the tears, but one slipped out anyway, and she wiped at it angrily. She had no reason to be sad, so why couldn’t she just stop?
The door opened behind her, and she curled into herself. Maybe whoever it was wouldn’t notice her? They’d just worry, and there wasn’t anything wrong so they really shouldn’t need to. She was just sad.
“You alright?” Lambert’s gruff voice came from the doorway.
Ciri sighed and wiped at her eyes again before turning reluctantly.
“I’m fine.” She wasn’t. But what was the point in saying that when there was nothing causing it?
Lambert scowled. “Smells like a fucking lie. What’s wrong?”
Ciri scowled and felt her mouth curl into a snarl. “Why the fuck do even care?!” Okay, now she was angry, why the hell was she angry?
Lambert didn’t even blink, and Ciri’s anger evaporated in a second, leaving only a bone-deep sadness in its place.
“Okay, now you smell fucking miserable,” Lambert stated, stepping inside and closing the door behind himself. “What’s wrong?”
Ciri shrugged and looked away. Nothing was wrong. Everything was wrong. Everything was fine. Nothing was fine. The whole world was a jumbled mess of emotions, and she was drowning in them.
A finger poked her shoulder.
“Want a hug?”
Ciri looked up, and Lambert’s concerned face was the last straw. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she sniffled. “Please,” she croaked out, and in a moment Lambert’s arms enveloped her.
She buried her face in his chest like she used to when she was small, and he rubbed his cheek on her head like he used to and held her tight and rocked her gently as her tears flowed.
Eventually they slowed down, and with one last sniffle she raised her head.
“I ruined your shirt.” It was a mess, tears and snot making a disgusting mess.
“Eh,” Lambert shrugged, “I do that myself often enough. Usually stray ingredients.”
“Sorry.”
“Did I stutter? It’s fine.” Lambert’s voice was gruff, but he was looking at her with so much kindness she almost couldn’t take it.
“Okay,” she whispered and nodded.
For a moment, they just sat there, Lambert’s arms still a warm comfort around her.
“You better?” Lambert asked.
Ciri nodded, and Lambert grunted.
“Good. I’m gonna change my shirt and I’ll be back. You can sleep on me tonight if you want to.”
Ciri giggled. “I haven’t done that in ages!”
“No,” Lambert shrugged. “But you can. If you wanna.”
Ciri swallowed “I don’t know if I do. I don’t know anything today.”
“That’s okay, too,” Lambert shrugged again. “Sometimes we gotta play by the ear. You gonna be okay for a minute or two?”
“Yeah,” Ciri nodded. “Go. I’ll be here.”
Lambert nodded, and then with a glance around the empty room pressed a quick kiss to her head.
Ciri stared back at the flames in the empty room. They still danced, but somehow, they didn’t feel so lonely anymore.
In a couple of minutes, the door opened again, and Lambert entered the room, now in a clean shirt. He settled next to her in front of the fire and opened his arms.
“Cuddle?”
“Please,” Ciri whispered.
And then Lambert’s arms curled around her once more, and the flames danced in pairs. They could just stay here as long as she wanted, she knew. Maybe not such a bad thing that Lambert found her.