Erik's tongue felt glued to the roof of his mouth, pinned by the rawness of Charles's stare, the naked emotion scrawled across his face. He swallowed, with effort. He still didn't know what to say. Whatever Charles meant by that oblique statement, Erik was desperate to understand, but sure it didn't mean what he wretchedly wished it did. And he couldn't bring himself to ask. Normally he would have said that knowing was better than not knowing, but somehow he couldn't force the words past his lips.
What came out instead was a soft, "I know." He was still as stone, the rise and fall of his breathing barely stirring the sheets. Nothing's the same anymore. He only half intended for Charles to hear, but didn't try to hold it back. Charles didn't look away, and the breathless feeling in Erik's chest intensified until he couldn't bear it any longer. He shut off his bedside lamp with a thought, turning toward the shadows, ignoring the thump as his book fell to the floor.
His voice was steady, but barely. "Good night, Charles."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2014-01-21 09:07 pm (UTC)What came out instead was a soft, "I know." He was still as stone, the rise and fall of his breathing barely stirring the sheets. Nothing's the same anymore. He only half intended for Charles to hear, but didn't try to hold it back. Charles didn't look away, and the breathless feeling in Erik's chest intensified until he couldn't bear it any longer. He shut off his bedside lamp with a thought, turning toward the shadows, ignoring the thump as his book fell to the floor.
His voice was steady, but barely. "Good night, Charles."