Simon shook his head. "My bosses see everything in black and white."
"I know that's howyousee the world. Or how you used to see the world anyway." Charlie licked his lips. "I'm glad youcame anyway. I really did miss you." Charlie moved closer, close enough that Simon could smell him—that particular mix of sweetness and copper that was uniquely Charlie. "I know that's a little stupid because it's been like three hours, but the bond thing, it makes everything intense and?—"
Simon kissed him.
It was gentler than their first kiss. Less desperate, more deliberate. Charlie made a small sound and melted against him, hands coming up to twist in Simon's jacket.
When they pulled apart, Charlie's eyes were unfocused.
"We should probably talk about the library thing," Charlie said breathlessly.
"Later."
Simon didn't want to talk right now. There was nothing Charlie could say that would make him feel better. But that kiss?
Yeah, that made him feel better.
He moved in again, drawing his vampire close.His vampire. What kind of silly thought was that?
It felt right, though. Felt?—
The door burst open.
"Oh good, you're not naked yet." Maya stood in the doorway with zero shame. "Sage wants to know if tall, dark, and stabby is staying the night. She needs to know for breakfast counts."
Charlie pulled back, face flushed. "Maya, we were?—"
"Vertical and clothed, I can see that. Very disappointing." She looked at Simon. "You eat human food or just the tears of your enemies?"
"He's not—" Charlie started.
"Human food is fine," Simon said.
"Cool. Charlie, show him your room already. And then lock the door." She winked and then left before either of them could respond.
Charlie covered his face with his hands. "I've known them for three hours. Three hours and they're already gossiping about my sex life."
"Charlie."
"Yeah?"
"I do want you to show me your room."
Charlie's hands dropped. "Oh. Right. Yes. Room." He moved toward the door, caught his foot on the edge of the coffee table, and stumbled. Simon caught his elbow before he could fall.
"I'm fine! I'm good. Just, you know, I don't really have vampire grace down."
Simon kept his hand on Charlie's elbow as they walked down the hallway, for safety reasons.
"It's this way," Charlie said, leading him up a staircase. "They gave me one of the nice rooms, I think? It has a lot of pillows. Like, an unreasonable number of pillows."
He fumbled with the key, dropped it, picked it up, and dropped it again.
Simon took it from him and unlocked the door himself.
The room was absurdly comfortable-looking. A bed drowning in pillows, warm lighting, books on built-in shelves. It looked like somewhere people went to heal.
Charlie shut the door behind them and immediately started babbling. "So Maya taught me about blood types today, apparently there's a whole science to it, and Connor's teaching me control exercises tomorrow, except I might have ruined that with the puzzle thing?—"
