Convincing Confessions?

[Raffe]

He felt his stomach dip a little at the word serious, anticipating the subject to follow. It probably echoed the fall of his expression too; deflated resignation. Reluctance lingered, though he did listen. It wasn’t like he wanted to die. What he wanted was for the problem to go away. But he might as well wish for wings while he was at it. Raffe frowned down at his hands, and offered no protest. Guilt stabbed for the burden he presented, and he very carefully skirted around the memories of Nox’s breakdown at Christian and Ana’s estate, even as the other man’s emotion began to crest into an outburst.

Raffe blinked a little, and could not help the way the smile flickered unbidden to his lips even as his heart began to hammer. He wasn’t sure he even properly heard everything that followed. Then Nox managed to hit himself in the face with the arm, and by the look of him Raffe wondered if he rather hoped to ram those words back down his throat. Or at least one of them. He wasn’t sure if he ought to acknowledge it. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say at all, wondering if it was already a slip he regretted making. Raffe’s eyes were a little wide around the edges. The emotion was written all over his face.

There were things he ought to confide; about the power, and exactly why it scared him. He’d go to the dojo; of course he would. But he wasn’t thinking about that, just the rush of feeling in his chest. He reached to pull the arm free, and shifted closer. His forehead dipped close, his grip cupping the back of Nox’s head.

“You aren’t going to lose me,” he promised. Fuck but he’d fallen fast. The rush pressed a sudden smile to his lips, and his heart was beating like crazy. Its song felt like home.