You'll never find me (Explicit Chapters)

Chapter 20: Something's changing

After the Phillip incident, days had flown past and Alastor continued exploring the new step he and Charlie were on. The adrenaline he felt from the kisses was addictive. He avoided thinking about it, but he was beginning to like it and get used to it.

Charlie on other hand, as much as she was enjoying and trying to be patient, the desire to cross the line with Alastor followed her insistently.

Now and then she tried to explore more with different touches, but Alastor didn't seem to follow quite right.

Charlie was finishing her painting on a friday evening. Alastor was reading another book while they both were in silence, listening to a song on the gramophone and enjoying each other's company.

With the last touch of the brush against the canvas, she finally finished the painting.

"I've finished it!" She smiled leaving the brush inside the water pot and looking over the whole canvas.

Alastor looked at her with a smile. "Oh?" He closed his book and left the couch. "Let me take a look." He got up and walked behind her. He stopped and adjusted his glasses. At first, he was speechless, and that worried Charlie.

"You don't like it, do you?" She shrunk her shoulders, tensing them and looking at the brunette with an insecure glare.

"No, I don't." He kept his eyes on the canvas and raised his eyebrow.

Charlie bit her lip, her expression now sad, she should have imagined he wouldn't like... It was the same reaction from everyone else from her homeland to anything she did or made. It usually came up with laughs and mean comments about how silly and 'no sense' she was...

"I don't like it, because, truth be told, I love it, darling!" He opened a huge smile placing his hands over her shoulders.

"What?!" Her eyes widened and when she tried to look at him, he slid his hands over her arms slowly.

He took one of her hands and made her get up, pulling her gently.

"You heard me loud and clear dear! I love it." He spun her and led her to the middle of the room in front of the gramophone.

"Y-you did?" Her eyes were shining and her heart was beating fast as she tried to stabilize her dance steps, she was trying to process everything.

"Yes! You are extremely talented dear! All the details and effort you put in it is delightful! The colors, the shades, the lights, even my hair texture you got right!"

The more Alastor spoke about her work, the more Charlie felt the time was slowing down. Her eyes were watering; he really saw all those details she put there?

"If I could, I would buy it from you!" He chuckled and started to dance with her. "I'm thrilled to see what else you will paint! In fact, if you really enjoy it, we could go tomorrow to the store and buy more supplies." He had the biggest and brightest smile.

A tear fell from Charlie's face, she never saw anyone so enthusiastic about her art in years... The last time was long, long ago, when she was a kid and her parents were enthusiastic about her art... But when she grew up it started to vanish... They barely had time to talk to her about any of her interests.

Alastor's smile vanished when he saw a tear rolling down Charlie's cheek.

"Oh, no, dear, did I say something wrong?" He stopped dancing and placed his hand over her face, cleaning it with his thumb. His hand was cold, and it made Charlie shiver and close her eyes, while more tears fell down.

"No..." She held his hand and pressed it against her cheek. Feeling him like this was good for her. "I just-" She opened her eyes slowly, and looked at him. The way she looked at him, made Alastor's heart skip a beat.