[Feeling Hershel's arm around him somehow manages to trigger even more tears, so Clive just buries half of his face into Hershel's shoulder and tightens his grip around the younger boy as the waterworks continue, his own shoulders shaking as he makes conscious efforts not to sob too loudly. He doesn't know how successful he actually is, but Clive is a pretty quiet crier by nature anyway so all that really comes out are the occasional hiccup-like noises and sniffles.
After what feels like an eternity but is really about 20 or so minutes later, it seems that his tear ducts are finally dried up. Clive stays still for a few moments just to make sure that it's really over, then while keeping most of his weight against Hershel's side, he unwraps his arms in order to grab his journal and pen from his bag nearby. He flips the journal open to the next blank page and has to blink a few times to be able to see the page clearly. Then, he writes a single word on the top line, in handwriting that is a little less neat than usual.]
Sorry
[He puts the journal and pen down in front of Hershel for him to see and write a reply if he wants to. Then after briefly glancing at the wet spot on Hershel's shoulder where Clive had been crying, he looks away as he wipes his cheeks with his sleeve because god, his face probably looks super gross right now.]
you should be sorry that this tag almost made me cry in public
After what feels like an eternity but is really about 20 or so minutes later, it seems that his tear ducts are finally dried up. Clive stays still for a few moments just to make sure that it's really over, then while keeping most of his weight against Hershel's side, he unwraps his arms in order to grab his journal and pen from his bag nearby. He flips the journal open to the next blank page and has to blink a few times to be able to see the page clearly. Then, he writes a single word on the top line, in handwriting that is a little less neat than usual.]
Sorry
[He puts the journal and pen down in front of Hershel for him to see and write a reply if he wants to. Then after briefly glancing at the wet spot on Hershel's shoulder where Clive had been crying, he looks away as he wipes his cheeks with his sleeve because god, his face probably looks super gross right now.]