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Freminet’s brain pushes the impulsive thought forward into action before he can think on it more. He embraces the chief justice, he is short and Monsieur Neuvillette is very tall, so it must look a little silly if there was anyone else around. But the man seems so sad and very tired.
The teen feels the chief justice freeze for a moment, clearly from the unexpected touch. Freminet considers pulling back & apologizing for hugging him so suddenly. Just as the thought enters his head, Monsieur Neuvillette wraps his arms around him. It is slow and hesitant but Freminet can feel the built up tension leave him. It is nice, and comforting. Sadly, the twins are too small to give hugs like this now. When they were younger it was similar. Freminet briefly wonders if Monsieur Neuvillette has ever been hugged before.
He has Lyney and Lynette to hug him during bad days, does Monsieur Neuvillette have one to hug him?
Freminet has many bad days. Thankfully, Pers and his siblings make some of his bad days better. That and he can go diving. Swimming with all the animals under the water, away from all the people, the sounds and everything. It makes everything better and the world feel less overwhelming.
Lynette calls them “episodes” when everything is too much for him, even something as small as the wrong fabric makes him want to burst into tears. Freminet wonders if the chief justice also has them, and if he ran into him during one by accident. A bit of guilt builds in the teen’s chest if that is true; he doesn’t like people touching him during the episodes.
As he releases Monsieur Neuvillette, who easily lets him go, he sees the sky has darkened just like it does before it rains. The smell of Petrichor fills his nose, it is a good smell. It doesn’t make his nose itchy like some of the perfumes strangers wear or boutiques sell.
It makes Freminet feel sad, for some reason. Like some unmentionable, completely random grief finds its way to him. It buries itself in his chest, tucked between his ribs. It is warm but sad. For some inexplicable reason, he thinks of the day he told the Traveller about how rain is the Hydro Dragon’s tears.
It is a light drizzle at best and the rain has barely begun. Maybe it is the tightness in his chest but Freminet mumbles, “Hydro Dragon, Hydro Dragon, Please don’t cry.”
He doesn’t see Neuvillette stiffen and then relax, realising that Freminet isn’t talking to him. The teen just said it to the sky. He can’t stop himself from smiling at the young teen as he doesn’t even know the Hydro Dragon he is comforting is right beside him. The simple words bring Neuvillette joy, enough joy to lighten the already light drizzle.