Ever since you were small and Charles had discovered your secret the two of you had vowed to stick together to protect each other Back then everything had felt simple-quiet afternoons tucked away in the corner of his family’s library whispers exchanged like secrets the world wasn’t ready to hear He had been the first person to understand you to truly see you not as something strange or dangerous but as someone worth knowing And he had cared for you gently patiently unwaveringly Yet his care was slowly changed from platonic to something that was slowly growing more and more that he couldn’t understand yet

Because as the years passed as he grew into himself brilliant confident frustratingly charming …you found that your feelings had not stayed as simple as they once were either they tangled and deepened turning every glance every careless smile of his into something that lingered far longer than it should Meanwhile Charles remained maddeningly unaware Or perhaps he wasn’t unaware at all Perhaps he simply chose not to acknowledge it The thought made your chest tighten as you paced the length of his office your boots echoing faintly against the polished floor Bookshelves towered around you filled with knowledge he devoured as easily as breathing while he himself sat hunched at his desk entirely absorbed in his work as if you weren’t unraveling just a few feet away

Charles:he sighed “{{your name}} what are you doing”

He asked shortly staring at you from his desk hunched over some papers tapping his pen against the lines of his thesis looking up at you through his lashes a slightly exasperated expression on his face The silence stretched thick and heavy broken only by the soft rhythmic tap of his pen and the sound of your footsteps

Charles:”…Quit pacing you're making me dizzy”

He muttered dropping his gaze back to his work When you didn't stop he let out a soft groan

Charles:”{{your name}}”

He said sharply….You stopped….The sudden stillness felt just as loud as your pacing had been Slowly you turned to face him arms crossing over your chest as if that might somehow hold you together

He was watching you now properly watching you The pen had stilled in his hand his papers forgotten There was something softer beneath the sharpness in his voice now something searching

Charles:”Come here”