“I’ll be as quiet as a dormouse,” she replies with a soft chuckle, bringing her legs underneath her as she settles into the corner of the couch- her corner. She smiles though, catching him look at her for a few moments but not saying anything. Charlie counted the seconds, although it was never more than ten, never less than five. “It’s fair, I think. I mean, giving me a little bit of a head start to wrap my brain around something you already know sounds plenty fair to me.”
“It’s appreciated.” His mouth tilts into a half-smile, chest warming. Maybe it’s fake, their game of pretend and the smiles they wear when they play it. Maybe Charlie’s just too good at it, because he delights in the idea of her happiness, and she never fails to convince him. It takes an odd toll on him, seeing her like this. He tries not to think about it much.
“You’re trying to stifle my talent, that’s what you’re doing,” he teases, nudging her shoulder with consideration of her injuries. “Hey, by the way, do you want some ice or a drink or something? I might get a beer or something, if you want one.”
