Charlie froze with his whisper. Should she really stop? He didn't push her away, he was kind of reciprocating wasn't he?
Charlie didn't want to go away from his lips, she knew she should, but she didn't desire it.
His lips started to move again and she glued slightly more against him. She was scared he would say it again.
"Charlie—" He said again.
His tone was neutral, it scared her a bit.
She slowly backed off, enough to see his face and still hold it softly.
"Why are you doing this?" He has this neutral, emotionless expression in his face.
"Because I –" She looked away for a second. "I want to thank you." She smiled, nervously.
"Why are you lying to me?" He asked in all seriousness. Neither his expression nor his tone changed.
"I- Because-" She looked away once again. She pursed her lips and filled her cheeks with air in a childish way.
Even though it was adorable, Alastor still didn't express anything.
"Because I might- Like- your- company-" She said with several pauses, looking back at him. "A lot." She felt her cheeks growing warmer, and she released the air inside her mouth.
He raised his eyebrow.
"This is completely wrong- First you got my intentions completely wrong-" this first hurt Charlie a lot, making her close her hand over his face as she tried to grab onto something.
"Second, you are engaged." He frowned his eyebrows, slowly getting away from her.
"I am not-" She said, frowning her brows and looking at him.
"You are not what?"
"Engaged anymore." She said that and closed her eyes, slowly touching his forehead with hers. "I ended things with him since I am back... I was afraid you thought I was here just for this."
Charlie didn't hear anything for a while, she didn't even know his expression. Nothing changed, neither his expression, since her hand was still touching his cheek in a fist, and neither on his forehead. His breath didn't change as well, since it was the only thing she could hear in the room now.
"The man going after you was a lie? That day in the alley." He asked.
"No... I'm pretty sure my father didn't like the fact I ended things with my fiancé. I really had no place to go." She slowly opened her eyes just to see emotionless Alastor again.
"I tried to tell you, but I was afraid, I was—" She slowly put her hand over his face again, but to her surprise, he gently grabbed her hand and put it away.
Alastor quietly got up and without saying anything, walked to the door.
"Wait! Aren't you going to say anything?" Charlie looked at him desperately. He couldn't just leave her there, could he?
He stopped at the door frame, placing his hands over it.
"I keep my word; you should stop and don't do that ever again." He said without even looking at her.
"Lunch is ready, I will take a shower." He left the room and closed the door behind him. Charlie heard his steps getting farther away from the room.
As she couldn't hear anything anymore, she placed a hand over her stomach. It was like someone hit her. Her vision became blurred and her hands were slightly shaking. She was tearing up. The coldness in his response made her feel stupid and release the godet over the stool.
She slowly fell down to sit on the floor.
Her eyes started to shine in yellow color and her cheeks were growing red due to the tears.
She regretted what she had done.
Charlie didn't want to push Alastor away, after all he was her friend nonetheless. The only friend in centuries that she could open up with without feeling ridiculous. The only person who didn't actually make fun of her hobbies and passions. And she felt she lost it.
The insistent tears were falling from her face as she hugged her own knees and shoved her face against them.
Alastor went back with a few new clothes over his hand so he could take a shower. He heard a strange noise, like a cry in the distance. Was it Charlie?
Usually he appreciated people suffering - and he appreciated that sound, but the thought of it was her, bothered him. He frowned his eyebrows and entered the bathroom.
Why did it bother him this time? What was up with that girl that he couldn't quite understand? He locked the door and placed his folded clothes over the toilet to then walk calmly to the sink.
He removed his glasses and felt his heart pacing fast. He put his hand over his chest. Why was he worried if she was crying? Why wasn't he enjoying it instead?
His hand went up to his lips. She wasn't engaged anymore, still, she was there just to try something with him? That's all why she was there?! She said it wasn't ... But was she being honest?
He shook his head trying to clear it and blinked seeing himself in the mirror. His lips were red and he felt them warm.
He was nervous for the entire situation, and the thoughts that came in his mind; that was why his lips were like that.
Alastor gave a little laugh. This whole new thing bothered him; if it was any other girl, he would push her away immediately, but with Charlie; he didn't. For a moment he pursed his lips and the sensation of her lips against his came back. They were warm and soft, and he always despised this kind of affection. He remembered his parents, he didn't mind seeing them kissing each other, even though it was extremely rare.
Still, other women tried to approach him as Charlie did and he always felt disgusted, not amused.
He shook his head and chuckled at his silly thoughts.
He should be angry at her since she probably was there only to be close to him and taking advantage of the situation; as she mentioned. If she wasn't there because of that, why would she be afraid of him thinking that?
She wasn't engaged anymore, why?
So many questions that he shouldn't even bother to ask or wonder.
He removed his glasses and left them over the sink, starting to take off his clothes.
He would simply take a hot bath and forget all this nonsense.
—
Charlie was recomposing herself in her room. She stopped crying and her tears were already dry and bothering her skin.
It was a fact by now, she was liking Alastor and she didn't know what to do.
It hurt like hell to think about how he reacted and how he said she should stop.
Finally, she said she wasn't engaged anymore and she knew he could react negatively; but deep inside she hoped everything Lorraine and Ruth said was true. That she would be the first to get his attention in a different way.
She hoped and desired this.
As she calmed down, she let her head go back and touch the bed's wooden support.
He didn't back up; he moved his lips to talk but that little fact. Why didn't he back up right away?
Was she being silly? Should she keep trying? Or should she just stop?
Charlie didn't want to lose Alastor, and if it meant for them to be just friends, it would be fine with her, even if it hurt.
Charlie slowly got up to go to the kitchen.
She didn't hear the water falling anymore from the bathroom so she concluded Alastor would get out of there soon.
He said the lunch was already set up, Charlie served herself and sat.
Not so long after that, Alastor got out from the bathroom with his hair all wet and his new clothes on.
He quietly got his plate and served himself. Alastor sat in front of Charlie who didn't have her happy and goofy expression in her face and usual body mannerisms. She was sad and insecure and he could see that.
Charlie didn't look at Alastor, and he noticed that.
At first, he tried to pretend everything was fine, but the truth was, he was bothered to not see her shining smile.
He remained quiet, just eating as she did the same. She didn't want to look at him, she was afraid of how he could be looking at her. Maybe the same disappointed look as her father gave to her? Or anyone else from her home.
Alastor got grape juice and drank it.
He wanted her to look at him, for some reason, so he got his napkin and coughed on it.
Charlie's eyes went up to him, and as soon as their eyes connected both felt the same; a string over their chest being pulled. It was a new feeling for Alastor, but Charlie knew what it was.
Charlie's eyes went away from his, not even a smile showed up on her face.
It bothered Alastor even more.
"Tomorrow, do you want to go with me to work again?" He tried to keep his tone as neutral as he could.
Charlie didn't look at him, just nodded her head and it bothered Alastor to the point he felt his patience shortening.
Why?
"Very well, I'll wake you up." He continued to have his lunch quietly, just like her.
After he finished, he got up and brought his plate and glass for the sink.
With his neutral voice he said: "Do you want to walk around the city? And then go to dance tonight?"
He was cleaning the plate and pots.
"I- I think I will stay here. I want to start painting something." She admitted and smiled weakly. She needed some time to put her head in place as well and didn't want to bother him more than she'd done.
Alastor stopped and watched the water flow down the sink. Another string being pulled inside his chest. What was that about?
"Alright." He replied, turning off the water as he finished cleaning the dishes.
Charlie got up and walked to the sink to bring her plate and glass.
He looked at her before quietly getting the things to begin washing them. Charlie waited for him to put them aside to help dry them and then the rest of the pots and plates.
Alastor turned the water off and waited for Charlie to hand him the cloth so he could dry his hands.
Once again, the cloth was warm and he didn't quite understand how it was possible but didn't ask.; he knew she had warm hands.
Quietly he went out to the backyard where the clothes were hanging since morning.
Charlie watched the man go outside and touch the clothes.
She sighed and walked away towards her room.
The house was quiet, quieter than ever since Charlie arrived. Alastor tried to keep his mind away, getting a book from his shelf to read, and that's what he did.
The gramophone was playing to fill the silence in his house.
Charlie was painting, she was having a lot of trouble thinking what she could paint.
She sketched a bunch of things, but nothing was good enough.
The canvas was just turning into a whole black blurry image.
The day ended strangely odd, they didn't talk at all and it was killing Charlie. It was dinner and they didn't exchange a single word. She was still hurt but she missed his voice by now.
"Al?" She said as she finished her dinner.
Alastor turned his attention to her.
"I am sorry for what I did early, I didn't want to come off as rude, or that I don't— I don't want your friendship." She said with her voice trembling and without even looking at him. "I- I don't want to lose you." She gave a shy smile and her eyes began to water. She felt she didn't have anyone right now, only Alastor. If she loses him, she would probably have to go back to her home and deal with the rage of her parents.
"Sorry if you think bad of me-"
Alastor was looking at the girl. Usually in "that" moment when he feels his heart pounding incredibly fast, he would enjoy seeing that, the tears rolling down someone's face; but seeing Charlie crying really bothered him on a very weird level.
"No, don't worry. I'm fine." He began to say with a gentle smile and looked at her. "You respected my request, and I'm okay about it dear." He adjusted his glasses and his hand slowly went to her face. He grabbed her gently by her chin. "Now, now, don't cry." He raised his index finger of his free hand as he was gesturing a no. "Come on, dear. Smile!" He smiled big for her. "I like to see your beautiful smile."
As he said that, his touch made Charlie tense a little; When Seviathan touched her like this, usually he was abrupt and not gentle at all. But even Alastor's touch was different. It was soft, gentle and caring. When he said he found her smile beautiful she felt her cheeks growing warm. Charlie slowly smiled at the man.
"Thank you, Al." She said a little relieved, but still hurt.
Alastor gave a nod as he said "No problem."
And then the silence filled the room again for a moment but the atmosphere was lighter than before.
Charlie bit her lip and tried to break the ice between them.
"Do you... Will you... Dance tonight still?" She wasn't looking at him, she was drinking her orange juice.
"I'm not quite sure." He replied.
"Could we... Dance here tonight?" She whispered the question.
Alastor raised his eyebrow and it made Charlie shrink in her seat.
"Of course, that's fine, dear." Alastor nodded once again agreeing with her. It brightened Charlie's smile a bit, but with all the stuff that happened that day, she was still insecure.
As they finished their dinner and Alastor cleaned the plates, Charlie walked to the gramophone and put on any record she previously had listened to.
The song began very animated and fun while she prepared herself to dance.
Alastor dried his hands over the cloth and looked above his shoulder to Charlie who was starting to dance alone.
She didn't smile as big as she used to, but the little smile on her face warmed his heart which made his brows frown.
Why did he feel that way anyways?
Minutes before, her crying bothered him and made him overthink; now, she was smiling and he was smiling too without even noticing. It was like just because she seemed lighter, the whole house atmosphere changed. Still, it didn't change the fact of what happened previously.
Alastor dried his hands completely and placed the cloth over the sink.
Slowly he walked towards her, more precisely, behind her and placed his hands under hers that were in the air. Charlie stopped to look over her shoulder.
"Let's dance, dear." He said with a big smile and she smiled weakly in response. She turned towards him and they began to dance.
At first, her dance was shy, slow and insecure. But the more they danced the more she went back to "normal."
Not so long after, she started to giggle and smile at him which caught Alastor's attention.
He actually liked her giggle; it was adorable and for some reason made him genuinely smile.
At some point Charlie felt the will again to be in his arms, but this time she didn't do anything about it. He didn't want to, so he said to her. So, maybe it would be better to just back off and not think about it again.
As they finished their dance, they said goodnight to each other with a bow and proceeded to each of their rooms.
Both of them tried to not think of what happened that day.
Beta Reader:
Angel: angie_bun