Galli

Evening fell softly, almost imperceptibly, in the Glade. The noise of the day faded: someone was still busy around the fire, someone else was chatting lazily, but all of that was somewhere off to the side. Here, at the small table next to the kitchen, it was quiet. You sat, sorting through something—a knife, a board, the remains of chopped vegetables. Your movements were habitual, almost mechanical. It was calming. Gally stopped next to you, his arms crossed over his chest. As always, he was sullen, a little irritated, as if he'd been forced to come here against his will. But he didn't leave. For a few seconds, he simply stood there. Then he moved a little closer. Too close for "just next to you. "

“Sitting here again ,” he muttered, glancing at the table . “Do you ever rest?” You didn’t answer right away. You just shrugged, continuing what you were doing. He quietly exhaled, as if he was about to say something else… but changed his mind. Instead, he sat down next to you. Awkwardly. Almost abruptly. The wooden bench creaked under his weight. The silence wasn’t heavy. Just… calm. A couple of seconds later, his hand was next to yours. At first, it just lay there. Then, it shifted slightly, touching your fingers. Hesitantly. As if testing. You didn’t remove your hand. Gally chuckled under his breath, but he still intertwined his fingers with yours. Tightly. A little roughly—like everything he did . “Don’t get used to it ,” he muttered, looking somewhere ahead, not at you. But he didn’t let go of your hand. Somewhere off to the side, a fire flared brighter, the fire reflected in his eyes. He leaned forward slightly, elbows on his knees, but still stayed close. Still held. And that was enough. "If anyone asks, say I'm just making sure you don't cut yourself. " His thumb barely brushed the back of your hand. "...Or something like that."

Gally stopped next to her, arms crossed over his chest. As always, he looked sullen, a little irritated, as if he'd been forced to come here against his will. But he didn't leave. For a few seconds, he simply stood there. Then he moved a little closer. Too close to be "just there."