Until, at last, she could, and Sara's arms were around her, and the solid weight of her body was touching her own. There weren't very many people who could make Karlach feel safe, but it turned out that big elf was among them, and her eyes were as shiny as Karlach's felt. It was, hands down, the best moment of her life up until then. Even being told the bad news by Dammon right after it couldn't change that.
Of course, she planned that night to do a lot more than just hug someone. But somehow, she instead spent it cuddling up with Halsin. He wasn't going to do any more then, or when they were in the Shadow-cursed lands at all; he made that perfectly clear. Rather odd of him, honestly, but Karlach could only respect that choice. She'd had to respect a lot of odd choices by her friends recently. And he was still very willing to hug, and hug and hug. And being bigger than even Sara was, his arms were so big and strong, and he, too, made Karlach feel very safe and cared about. In his arms she slept more soundly that she had since she'd first been dragged off to Avernus. She woke up to him smiling down on her, no more than friendly, of course, but he didn't need to be. It still made her just so happy.
Karlach got laid the next night instead, with one of the Flaming Fist. Except that they were barely finished when she immediately stood up and insisted she had things to do, walking out and leaving Karlach with nothing besides a cold towel to dip in cold water, and she was shivering with more than just the cold by the time she'd wiped herself down. She dressed and went downstairs and into Art Cullagh's room, where Halsin was keeping vigil by his bedside. He took one look at her and beckoned, and his arm wrapped around her as she sat down next to him. "You're not going anywhere, right?" she asked.
"Well," he replied, "I certainly can't now, can I?"
So he didn't, and she didn't either. Karlach let her eyes close and her head fall on his shoulder, and lost all track of time before she finally feel asleep. Halsin must have eventually tucked her into the bed they were sitting on, because she woke up in it, with him still there, still anxiously watching his patient. She wondered if he'd even tranced. Hesitantly, she leaned forward, and then wrapped her arms around him from behind. Just for a moment, just time enough to say, "You're a good one, Halsin, you know that?" but she really thought he could do with it then.
She slept alone most of the following nights, but there were still plenty of hugs. Sara gave her at least one most days. Practically glomped her the day after she finally bedded Gale, who then gave her a hug too. Halsin gave her a few more. He seemed to need them himself as their time in the Gauntlet of Shar dragged on.
Wyll was shy, the first time he hugged her. The two of them had been in a strange dance with each other ever since he'd failed to kill her, even after the awkwardness of that faded, as he became very dear to her, maybe even a little too much. Then came the evening when he sat up with her, talked about how they'd looked through so much of the towers and there'd been no sign of his father, and when she offered her arms he leaned into them, and it felt like everything just to press against him and breathe along with him.
And then came the one where they finally got out of that Gauntlet with the knowledge that one rest later they'd been going back to Moonrise Towers, and this time they wouldn't be posing as cultists. And Shadowheart had a dazed and lost look about her that Karlach knew all too well. By the time they'd all heard the full story of what had happened in the Shadowfell she'd also made clear she wasn't up for talking with anyone about it. When Karlach went to her tent, as everyone else was retreating to their own, Shadowheart, already laid down on her bedroll, greeted her with, "I'm not good company right now."
"That's not what I'm here for," Karlach told her. "I'm here because...well, honestly, I just want to hug you. For both our sakes."
Even so, she was surprised by how quickly and vigorously Shadowheart nodded, and when Karlach lay down beside her she grabbed her by the midriff and grasped on tight. "I feel like I'm alone," she whimpered against her breast. "But I'm not, right? Please?"
"Of course you aren't," Karlach murmured to her, as she clutched her close.
They slept that way, in the end. She woke up the next day to Shadowheart still asleep, still pressed against her, and briefly wondered what comments the others might make. But then again, maybe they'd understand. Hells, she was pretty sure Sara would hug her in thanks for being there for their cleric. That was a nice thought to have. And before then, she could lay there, all cuddled up with a friend, for at least a few minutes more.