Shannon made a small, keening sound of discontent when the hands moved away. Then one eventually came back and he dipped his head down, trying to take it in with the futility of perceiving something that didn't truly exist. There was no heat, no diversion of air against his skin, nothing but the weight on his chest that couldn't actually be there. It was such a soothing weight, however, because it was Eli's. He didn't want it to go away.

"Please?" he repeated, confused at why he needed to say it again. He just wanted it, wanted them, to be here and now and to have Eli fill his head. He wasn't quite to that point, but he could feel the walls breaking and he wanted to let Eli in. Wanted Eli to keep him as his own, let him exist in this space where he almost seemed to be floating. "Keep doing this. This... whatever it is. That?"