The portrait swung shut behind him, the world seeming to slow down as it latched into place. Stepping hesitantly through the common room, he approached the hearth where she sat. They were alone at last, locked away in the privacy of their own chambers. The world was no longer watching them, waiting with baited breath for an inevitable breakdown.
She looked up at him with cold, hard eyes. Her hands ceased all movements, but her robes remained creased from where she'd been wringing the fabric between her fingertips nervously. The silence was heavy around them, the tension in the room thick enough to cut with a knife. The only noise through the dormitory was the ticking of the clock on top of the mantel piece, counting away the seconds.
He stopped in the centre of the room, clenching and relaxing his fists. His posture was tense, shoulders hunched inwards. It was as if the weight of the situation, of their relationship, was physically pushing him down. He prayed silently for her to speak, not wanting to be the first to break the silence. Opening and closing his mouth a few times, he worked his jaw around as his eyes pleaded and begged with her to just break the silence.
She locked her brown eyes on his, their warmth all but gone, standing to rise from the couch. The fabric of her robes fell in straight lines as she stood, feet shoulder with apart and fists clenched downwards, mimicking his positon. Her eyes glinted as words spilled from her mouth, soft at first, a whisper. It didn't last long as he finally replied, the whispers turning to shouting.
He moved, dragging a hand through his soft platinum blonde hair, tugging in anger as they shouted back and forth. His green and silver tie hung loosely around his neck, shirt almost entirely untucked from the violence in which he jerked his arms up. The shouting gave way after agonising minutes. He tugged his hair harder as he truly looked at her, cheeks flush with anger. The shouting turned to tears.
She hated herself for crying, choosing to wipe the tears away before they could roll down her cheeks. Her voice was hoarse already, the hand on the clock having moved nearly an entire circuit by the time the tears were freely falling down her cheeks. A hiccup travelled through her body, causing her to jump slightly as it came out.
He stopped, turning his head sharply as she hiccupped, watching her whole body shake with the force of one little sound. His hands dropped back down to his sides as he began to shake, laughter bubbling up inside of him at the absurdity of the situation they were in.
She stood shocked as he began to laugh, but as a second hiccup escaped her mouth she found herself unable to stop herself from joining him. Her tears turned into laughter as they stepped closer to each other, the infectious tone of his mirth taking away her fears.
He embraced her slowly, pulling her small frame close against his chest. Tilting his head downwards, he rested his forehead against hers, whispers taking over once more as he calmed down. He was desperate, longing for words to describe how he was feeling. She changed his world with every second she was in it.
She wrapped her arms around his torso, one hand splaying out on his back as the other fisted his crisp white shirt. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, stronger than ever. He made her feel truly alive, a feeling that no other gave her.
He couldn't take his eyes off of her, trying to drink in and commit as much of her to memory as he could. Whispering again in her ear, he finally told her all the things he'd kept quiet for all the years. Whispers and truths, finally opening himself up to her love.
Her heart soared, feeling as if she'd just woken up, a new spring of life coming over her as he admitted his love to her. Tilting her head inwards, she caught his lips with hers, kissing him softly yet desperately. Her fingers clawed at his shirt, a very real ache taking over her, burning to feel him against her.
His heart beat wildly in his chest, synched up to hers without his knowledge. Their story was twisted but it was what made them who they were, it was what made them work.
Their hands moved furiously, clothing dishevelled, love finally taking over. Both felt as if they were finally waking up, slowing down once more. His voice was steady as he spoke softly in her ear, hers tinged with emotion but unwavering.
"You're beautiful"
"What they think doesn't matter to me"
"I'll give up all I have just to breath the same air as you"
"I can't take my eyes off of you"
"I love you"