You're all right; Elle's working a late night at the spa. [Which is another source of the vampire's current pool of concerns, but not one that's relevant right now.] Feel welcome to come right in.
[The short pause from talking is helpful. It gives Charles a little time to collect himself, to reaffirm that he doesn't want to make the mistake of responding to Kyle with horror a second time, and to start planning what he does want to do when the other man arrives.
Really, forcing them into this topic with a direct question out of the blue feels, in retrospect, like the most foolish way he could have done it, but it's too late to change it now. If he's learned anything about managing his guilt over the past few months, it's that clinging to it doesn't serve anyone else, much less himself.
Pocketing his device, Charles makes his way from his study on the second floor and to the foyer to wait.]
no subject
[The short pause from talking is helpful. It gives Charles a little time to collect himself, to reaffirm that he doesn't want to make the mistake of responding to Kyle with horror a second time, and to start planning what he does want to do when the other man arrives.
Really, forcing them into this topic with a direct question out of the blue feels, in retrospect, like the most foolish way he could have done it, but it's too late to change it now. If he's learned anything about managing his guilt over the past few months, it's that clinging to it doesn't serve anyone else, much less himself.
Pocketing his device, Charles makes his way from his study on the second floor and to the foyer to wait.]