Objectively, he knew why. Objectively, he understood that the earlier possibility of being controlled was a little more ingrained in his mind than he would have wanted to admit. Objectively, he knew he'd only been alright with everything - the beach, the decision to stay, the admittance of any sort of feeling - because of that fact. Objectively, although he trusted Gabe as a friend, there was a reason for it all; a reason that he could accept and eventually do something about. He no longer had that reason.
Subjectively, shying away from the contact felt wrong. Not bad, or awkward, or shameful. Just... wrong. It made all the sense in the world, and it still felt wrong.
The shock on Valkyrie's face was enough to draw Skulduggery's attention back to what it should have been on in the first place. "When you do something as monumental as give up an addiction, Valkyrie, and something physical comes from it, you don't let it go. It's a very sentimental human trait. We need our accomplishments as much as we need anything else."
Valkyrie shook her head in confusion. "So Solomon's just going to be blind for the rest of his life?"
"Don't exaggerate. He'll see souls, apparently."
"He'll start aging again!"
"That remains to be seen. And probably isn't his first concern, either way."
"What about y - " Valkyrie cut herself off before she could finish. "What if he gets attacked? He won't be able to defend himself. He's practically helpless."
"'He,'" Erskine interjected, "is right there, you know."
no subject
Objectively, he knew why. Objectively, he understood that the earlier possibility of being controlled was a little more ingrained in his mind than he would have wanted to admit. Objectively, he knew he'd only been alright with everything - the beach, the decision to stay, the admittance of any sort of feeling - because of that fact. Objectively, although he trusted Gabe as a friend, there was a reason for it all; a reason that he could accept and eventually do something about. He no longer had that reason.
Subjectively, shying away from the contact felt wrong. Not bad, or awkward, or shameful. Just... wrong. It made all the sense in the world, and it still felt wrong.
The shock on Valkyrie's face was enough to draw Skulduggery's attention back to what it should have been on in the first place. "When you do something as monumental as give up an addiction, Valkyrie, and something physical comes from it, you don't let it go. It's a very sentimental human trait. We need our accomplishments as much as we need anything else."
Valkyrie shook her head in confusion. "So Solomon's just going to be blind for the rest of his life?"
"Don't exaggerate. He'll see souls, apparently."
"He'll start aging again!"
"That remains to be seen. And probably isn't his first concern, either way."
"What about y - " Valkyrie cut herself off before she could finish. "What if he gets attacked? He won't be able to defend himself. He's practically helpless."
"'He,'" Erskine interjected, "is right there, you know."