Thandi feels Charlie lay a charm on her ear as he curls against her, an arm under her head and the other over her side. She smiles to herself as she takes a deep breath.
Every night now they sleep against one another. Ever since the incident in their first year, she’s laid with him and comforted him and made sure that he was relaxed. Safe.
A whisper tickles her ear. “Thandi.”
“Mm?” She reaches up to pat his arm gently, feeling him tense slightly. Her touch makes him relax again, taking a deep breath.
“This is okay, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Or… what do you mean?:
“You don’t not want to do it?”
“Don’t… not want. Hm.” That’s a spicy double negative. “I do want it. I always do.”
“You don’t want to do this with anyone else?”
“Why would I want to?”
“Because of me.”
Ah… she knows all too well the melancholy tendencies of her boy. Always doubting. And she has given him reason to doubt before. Pushing back against how he clings to her. Pushing to be alone sometimes. Pushing, once… pushing him. His denials. Six years of their back and forth has made him fearful. Even with how he’s changed through the years.
“Charlie,” she says slowly. “I won’t be leaving you. I live with you, you silly goose.”
“Yes, but… I know… you want…” He swallows, pressing his face into her neck to steady his nerves. “Independence. To be the best. You. You want a lot. I. I don’t. I just. I just… herbology… potions…”
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be a healer, Charlie.”
“But planar magic is going to take you places. Literally… and you won’t want me around for that.”
“Who says that I won’t?”
Charlie squeezes her. “You never know.”
“I do know. I know I’ll never be alone again. Never again.”
His breath hitches at that and… he sniffles. Squeezes her tighter. Tears. They nearly never talk about what happened, but… this. This warm intensity. She needs it as much as he does. “Never.”
