Athan frowned and refused to meet the other's gaze. He stared down steadily at the floor as though he'd suddenly developed a sudden fascination for it. His palms were clenched in fists, but not from anger. It was mostly the result of anxiousness that he was trying to hide, but was so obviously failing at. He swallowed thickly and glanced hesitantly towards where the other sat.
"Well?"
"I don't want you to go," he answered in a rush of syllables. He drew in a sharp breath and held it in an attempt to steady himself, but it seemed to do little good. He shut his eyes and looked away, one hand still fisted around a small trinket he'd bought just hours ago. It was a gift, but he didn't realize how hard it would be to give.
"And why not?" came a soft whisper near his ear. He refused for a moment to look down into those pale blue eyes. It always felt a little like drowning.
"You know why," he answered in a low, barely audible voice as he reached for the other's hand and dropped a small, lapis lazuli ring into the other's palm.
"Yes. I do. But I hoped to hear you say it."
"Well?"
"I don't want you to go," he answered in a rush of syllables. He drew in a sharp breath and held it in an attempt to steady himself, but it seemed to do little good. He shut his eyes and looked away, one hand still fisted around a small trinket he'd bought just hours ago. It was a gift, but he didn't realize how hard it would be to give.
"And why not?" came a soft whisper near his ear. He refused for a moment to look down into those pale blue eyes. It always felt a little like drowning.
"You know why," he answered in a low, barely audible voice as he reached for the other's hand and dropped a small, lapis lazuli ring into the other's palm.
"Yes. I do. But I hoped to hear you say it."
