[ Their conversation has been anything but light, all revelations of shared pain and impossible longings, but her laugh puts a smile on his face that usually isn’t possible when he’s like this. The pain should be felt, he believes, rather than glossed over, it’s the only way to take the lessons that he’s meant to. Tim has long since rationalized being able to love a man, decided for himself that love cannot be a sin in order to have a single waking moment where he doesn’t feel hellfire licking at his feet, but loving the wrong one, giving him the kind of single-minded devotion that should be reserved only for God, only to be abandoned when he is no longer convenient, should hurt. Let the puncture wounds in his heart be a lesson.

And yet, despite his tendency and even his desire to wallow in it, he can’t help but feel some relief with her smiling up at him, reaching up to straighten his glasses and pull him inside. The space suits her more than Tim’s current situation (hiding in Koby’s room) suits him, makes him wonder briefly if he’ll ever be brave enough to go back to his own room, purge it of Hawk’s influence and make it his own again. That landmine of dark thoughts is just barely avoided by Alicent’s offer. ]

Oh, no, you don’t need to do that. [ He waves the suggestion away, casual, as he finds a seat for himself. ] It’s late, I don’t need anything. I just wanted to see you. Make sure that you’re...okay?