He didn’t have to look to see it: the confusion in Kieran’s tone was there, clear enough to make him wince. Somehow he’d thought – hoped – that they were on the same page for once, that maybe they understood each other. But Kieran sounded taken aback, and that uncertainty felt as damning as an outright no. Like he’d lost his mind.
“I just meant –” Jude started faintly, to sleep – and he felt certain he’d have had a better chance of actually falling asleep for an hour or two if there was someone else there, to spare him just laying there awake, reliving the night again. But if that was already too far for Kieran, then Merlin knew what he would think of Jude ever proposing anything else. “Never mind,” he said, ducking over to retrieve Kieran’s shirt as if that would hide his burning face. He pressed the shirt into Kieran’s hands, forget it, please get dressed, and stepped away again, turning for the attic’s trapdoor. “I’ll make toast.”
“I just meant –” Jude started faintly, to sleep – and he felt certain he’d have had a better chance of actually falling asleep for an hour or two if there was someone else there, to spare him just laying there awake, reliving the night again. But if that was already too far for Kieran, then Merlin knew what he would think of Jude ever proposing anything else. “Never mind,” he said, ducking over to retrieve Kieran’s shirt as if that would hide his burning face. He pressed the shirt into Kieran’s hands, forget it, please get dressed, and stepped away again, turning for the attic’s trapdoor. “I’ll make toast.”
