It wasn't any easier once they were alone.
Valerian leaned against the wall a good armlength away from Greengrass, not wanting to make Greengrass so uncomfortable he wouldn't be capable of talking, but also not wanting to give himself any room to break the promise he'd made just a minute before. And it was hard, because Greengrass was chewing on his thumb and looking so nervous that he felt a strange instinct to protect him (as if he wasn't the one Greengrass apparently needed protecting from!). It was maddening and a little cruel, but he was determined to make his point without letting himself be distracted by the little things.
Except... He wasn't really sure what point he wanted to make. He wanted Greengrass to acknowledge what he'd admitted in the club, but he'd done so with the added explanation that he hadn't meant to, whatever that meant. What he really wanted was Greengrass to admit he hadn't moved on and that breaking up with him had been a mistake, but after chasing Greengrass down and physically cornering him he doubted he'd get a response that was remotely similar to that. He wouldn't be surprised if Greengrass hated him now—Greengrass had broken up with him, and although his jealous little glances and admissions had given him a glimmer of hope it wasn't as though Greengrass had invited him back into his life—but somehow he didn't care.
"You said you didn't mean to admit what you did," he said quietly, letting the side of his head rest against the wall, "but that doesn't change that you said it, and I—I can't wrap my head around it."
Valerian leaned against the wall a good armlength away from Greengrass, not wanting to make Greengrass so uncomfortable he wouldn't be capable of talking, but also not wanting to give himself any room to break the promise he'd made just a minute before. And it was hard, because Greengrass was chewing on his thumb and looking so nervous that he felt a strange instinct to protect him (as if he wasn't the one Greengrass apparently needed protecting from!). It was maddening and a little cruel, but he was determined to make his point without letting himself be distracted by the little things.
Except... He wasn't really sure what point he wanted to make. He wanted Greengrass to acknowledge what he'd admitted in the club, but he'd done so with the added explanation that he hadn't meant to, whatever that meant. What he really wanted was Greengrass to admit he hadn't moved on and that breaking up with him had been a mistake, but after chasing Greengrass down and physically cornering him he doubted he'd get a response that was remotely similar to that. He wouldn't be surprised if Greengrass hated him now—Greengrass had broken up with him, and although his jealous little glances and admissions had given him a glimmer of hope it wasn't as though Greengrass had invited him back into his life—but somehow he didn't care.
"You said you didn't mean to admit what you did," he said quietly, letting the side of his head rest against the wall, "but that doesn't change that you said it, and I—I can't wrap my head around it."
