[ she only notices the hand when he pulls it back, so concerned with fixing whatever she'd done wrong that she'd looked over the offer entire. chalk it up to the long night that when he starts to drop it from the back of his head, she reaches back and takes it, grip soft and unsure. ]

Thank you, Cedric. This is, [ a lighthouse in the middle of a storm, an oasis in a desert—no call to be effusive, it's too late in the evening for that, ] the first deep breath I've taken in days. I appreciate it, truly.

[ she smiles, hopefully somewhere in the neighbourhood of encouraging. ] I'd love to meet a mage and let you go about the rest of your night.