Ford met Cash's eyes while his breathing went briefly shaky. He had already known this for most of tonight, but it was one thing to know it and another for Cash to have just said it plainly, while holding his gaze. Before it had been in the room with them, but lurking around the edges; a shadow in the corner that was always present but did not necessarily require your acknowledgement. They could talk around it. Now it was here, lying like a dead thing in the space between them, impossible to sidestep.
"No, you're not," Ford agreed. His voice was firm and he was glad of that, because it didn't feel like it had been his conscious choice to speak; like his mouth was far away from his brain and he didn't necessarily have agency over it for a moment. He looked at Cash another moment, but then he felt as though if he kept holding eye contact there was a chance he might cry, and obviously he couldn't do that. So instead he leaned towards Cash and pulled him into an embrace, tight enough that Ford's arms hurt.
"We starved your dementor," he said, tucking his head over Cash's shoulder. There was iron in his tone. "We'll get through this."
"No, you're not," Ford agreed. His voice was firm and he was glad of that, because it didn't feel like it had been his conscious choice to speak; like his mouth was far away from his brain and he didn't necessarily have agency over it for a moment. He looked at Cash another moment, but then he felt as though if he kept holding eye contact there was a chance he might cry, and obviously he couldn't do that. So instead he leaned towards Cash and pulled him into an embrace, tight enough that Ford's arms hurt.
"We starved your dementor," he said, tucking his head over Cash's shoulder. There was iron in his tone. "We'll get through this."
Set by Lady!