Liam stood still for a moment, his red eyes closed as he took a deep, steadying breath. The air was thick with the scent of spilled broth and the smoky aftermath of the ruined stall. His pale skin prickled with the tension that hung in the air, a palpable force that seemed to press against him from all sides. He stepped carefully around the mess, his heavy boots crunching on the debris underfoot.
Liam stepped carefully around the puddle of soup, his heavy boots crunching on the debris. He approached the bear-man with the unhurried, measured pace of a man walking to his mailbox.
He reached out and placed a large, pale hand flat on the bear-man's broad, armored shoulder.
The bear-man spun around, chest puffed out, a guttural roar ripping from his throat. "HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING YO—"
"Absorb."
Liam didn't raise his voice. He didn't even sound annoyed. He sounded like a guy turning off a loud television.
