Noctisardor Bypass anything at all to keep me close to you

there was nothing more to say.
mahler felt surely that she and he had reached an impasse — once more. and once more he knew that he had failed her.
mahler wanted to promise her many things but he did not think that he had the capacity to fulfill them. for a long moment he rested in silence with laurel, thinking of how empty rivenwood was without the children, pulling his mind sharply from contemplating their fate.
"vill you come vith me to the pharmacy, laurel? i vould like to put more medicine on your vounds, if you are up for it."
mahler fully expected her to decline his offer, but sought her eyes all the same. he wanted equal footing for them both if he could not come to an agreement this hour.
it was the only way that things might be salvaged.