No? [ Apollo gives him a pained smile. ] Even after I stood in this very room and yelled at you for things you've never done?
[ Yes, he's still annoyed with himself for that one. The entire conversation had been awful from start to finish, a relentless storm of emotions that Apollo had been perfectly happy to keep buried for now. It hadn't been fair. Apollo knows that.
But, God, it was hard. M was different, yes, and they weren't the same man, no, but there were so many little details that Apollo couldn't ignore. His gaze breaks away from M's, roving across the planes of the other man's face. M's face lacks the lines of his husband's - lines that Apollo loved, even now - but there were other details. The curve of his cheekbone. How young and alive his eyes are. The short, fuzzy edge of that (still slightly ridiculous) haircut at his temples. He lifts his hand again, instinctively wanting to cup Midnighter's cheek and run a thumbpad along that temple, but Apollo catches himself midway. It turns in to a faltering shoulder pat instead. ]
Changed my mind, you should get another heart. [ His words are light, faintly teasing; it's far better to joke about these things. 'Just go to the store and pick up a backup heart, will you?' The hand on M's shoulder squeezes meaningfully. ] Wouldn't want to lose you, would I? Now that you've promised.
no subject
[ Yes, he's still annoyed with himself for that one. The entire conversation had been awful from start to finish, a relentless storm of emotions that Apollo had been perfectly happy to keep buried for now. It hadn't been fair. Apollo knows that.
But, God, it was hard. M was different, yes, and they weren't the same man, no, but there were so many little details that Apollo couldn't ignore. His gaze breaks away from M's, roving across the planes of the other man's face. M's face lacks the lines of his husband's - lines that Apollo loved, even now - but there were other details. The curve of his cheekbone. How young and alive his eyes are. The short, fuzzy edge of that (still slightly ridiculous) haircut at his temples. He lifts his hand again, instinctively wanting to cup Midnighter's cheek and run a thumbpad along that temple, but Apollo catches himself midway. It turns in to a faltering shoulder pat instead. ]
Changed my mind, you should get another heart. [ His words are light, faintly teasing; it's far better to joke about these things. 'Just go to the store and pick up a backup heart, will you?' The hand on M's shoulder squeezes meaningfully. ] Wouldn't want to lose you, would I? Now that you've promised.