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The Scared One on the Rug
The door opened inward with a bang against the wall. Severus Prince stood, half naked, cane discarded, hair wild, a long stick in his hand raised like a weapon. "Elaine?" His voice was even rougher than usual.
From her position on the hall runner she gazed up at him through her tears.
"What are you doing?" The twig was tucked away somewhere too quickly for her to follow.
"You cried out."
He knelt and handed her a soft, deep green handkerchief he seemed to pull from nowhere at all.
"I'm sorry."
"You needn't be," she said earnestly, dabbing her tears.
Green, #6