For onceaheroine

[vindex_terrae]

Koschei eventually trails into the library feeling wiped yet lightened, much like a fever had broken. Parts of his metabolism had certainly ramped up to purge the poison, and then crashed back to a shaky near normal

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[onceaheroine]

Her smile, when she looks up to see him there, is warm and genuine. There's a little concern still in her bright blue eyes, but that's only natural. Belle's been worried about him.

"Hello." There's a depth of affection in the two syllables, and she looks away briefly in order to mark her page. She's been laying on the sofa in the TARDIS library and now sits up, adjusting her reading shawl, to make room for him.

"How're you feeling, sweetheart?"

[vindex_terrae]

Koschei settles on the couch, with less than his usual grace, tucking a foot under his other knee so he can face her better. Whatever gravitas or certainty he usually radiates than tends to leads people to overlook the seeming physical youth of his face, it's not there now.

"Better. Not like I need to crawl out of my own skin."

[onceaheroine]

"That's definitely a start."

Belle's never looked to him to be a rock or an authority figure -- perhaps that will help his unease. He's her friend, and she's glad to see he's feeling better. "You look a little less peaky."

She offers her hand, knowing that if he's up to using his touch-psychic senses, her calm and warmth will be more reassuring than any words could be.

[vindex_terrae]

Offering and letting him decide whether to take her hand is exactly the right move. He's not scared of leaking mental and emotional chaos, like he'd been when he'd carefully kept from touching the Doctor. He's still not completely sure it's a good idea, but he reaches out to curl his fingers around hers.

"Was the Doctor right? That I frightened you?"