Re: lakeside mansion; hugh c./dietre a.
Oh, Dietre saw those warm smiles. How could he miss them? It had been a while since he’d seen one directed toward him. But he didn’t return them, he didn’t quite know how. His expression remained somber, sometimes tense. He was going to have to relearn how to relax and open up. He had gotten the hang of it once, maybe he could manage it again.
Hot chocolate? Dietre nodded his consent. He really was fine with whatever Hugh wanted to serve him. Grateful, too, to soon have something to hold in his hands so he could have something to do with them aside from wring them together as he was currently doing.
When Hugh brought up the hospital Dietre bit at his lip for a moment. He could not remember exactly what he had told the man about it. His last few days there had been a jumble after being visited by Liam’s spirit, he was honestly surprised they let him out he was in such a daze. Did he say it was Quiet Home? That damnable Níðhöggr had mocked him over it for everyone to see, but Dietre did not know if Hugh read any of the other comments on his post. “It's… It is better…” He liked having privacy again, at least. And there was Sieglinde.
“Yes. I’ve never had anyone be so happy to see me.” The shepherd’s forgiveness (if she had ever blamed him to begin with) had been instant the moment he came into view. “Now it's as though I’ve never left…”