[An odd thought, that a father might take the time and effort to care for their children this way. It sends a slight twitch through Edward's spine (his nervous system knows, acutely, which of the marks on his body had come with him into his life at sea--and they twinge, slightly, when the wrong thought crosses his mind). Not something that bears lingering on, particularly with the brief stutter in Stede's own explanation.
They're both here, now. The tendrils of who they used to be may never fully let go, but can't stop them being here.]
...well. [Edward tries to move slowly, tilting his head without tugging so as not to disrupt the work. One hand lifts, reaching with an unpracticed attempt at gentleness to catch at a few pale strands of Stede's hair.] Not really the same.
[Stede had hair like silk, skin like porcelain, a voice like the pleasant lilting twitter of a delicate bird. Caring for the bits and pieces of Stede would take careful consistent work--like caring for the delicate silverware and fragile tomes that made up this odd little biome in this corner of the ship.]
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They're both here, now. The tendrils of who they used to be may never fully let go, but can't stop them being here.]
...well. [Edward tries to move slowly, tilting his head without tugging so as not to disrupt the work. One hand lifts, reaching with an unpracticed attempt at gentleness to catch at a few pale strands of Stede's hair.] Not really the same.
[Stede had hair like silk, skin like porcelain, a voice like the pleasant lilting twitter of a delicate bird. Caring for the bits and pieces of Stede would take careful consistent work--like caring for the delicate silverware and fragile tomes that made up this odd little biome in this corner of the ship.]