Glacius wasn't expecting Carlisle's response to his words to be so immediate, but then, he is perpetually underestimating the impact he has on the lives of his human friends. He's glad--and profoundly relieved--to see it, in any case; the steadying breaths are the first sign, and one deeply important, as it allows the human to focus and begin letting things fall back into place. His body shudders, then goes still as he struggles for calm; he starts to uncurl and pull his hands from his hair, his body language less beaten and terrified.

And then, finally, the clergyman returns the alien's embrace, holding him tight. The gesture will be surprising to Glacius for some time now--it's a physical sign of just how important he is to the human, of how much his partner cares for him. The ice alien might not have ever expected to find such a thing in this cave, but he appreciates it deeply. And so he smiles warmly down upon Carlisle, despite the fact that the human is currently still burrowed against him and thus can't see the expression. Glacius' powerful arms stay hooked around the clergyman, providing him with shelter and protection from the machinations of the gods, but one hand shifts to stroke his back soothingly.

"You are," the ice alien murmurs, his hand running up and down Carlisle's back a few more times before it drifts up to his hair and cradles the back of his hair, wordlessly inviting the clergyman to stay tucked up against him for as long as he feels like he needs. "You have more strength than you know... and you continue to make me proud, Carlisle."