Open Your Heart

Chapter 6

Moving back inside the building had everyone staring at him now. Of course it did, because now he looked like a fool; storming out one second only to come crawling back in. Even he had to admit though, it was an accurate depiction of what he was. Crossing the room, he paused at the double doors to take a deep breath, preparing himself to somehow convince Char to forgive his temper. Through the thick wooden panels he could still hear the music playing a soft, smooth jazz that was more than a little familiar to him. Pushing the doors open and stepping outside, Henroin stopped just beyond, letting them close behind him.

Chardenay was slowly rocking to the melody, his eyes closed, arms wrapped around himself. The soft sway had his skirt drifting around his ankles lightly, almost floating. When the trumpet started, he stopped moving and simply stood in the center of the courtyard to listen to it. As the song came to a close, Henroin stepped closer. Only then did he realize that he hadn't actually thought about what he would say. When the deathstalker opened his eyes and looked up at him, he knew it was a bit too late now. Clearing his throat, he tried straightening his back, but it felt wrong to him in this situation. "I..." Scratching the back of his head, he took another deep breath. "I over reacted." Chardenay lifted a brow and he sighed. "I lost my temper and that was... Immature of me." Sweet Satan, could his stomach twist any tighter? He could already feel the bile rising to the back of his throat.

"Nobody likes the truth, so I won't hold it against you." The other man shrugged. "You simply did what comes naturally. The sheer fact that you're here now, admitting that fact, means that you saw the mistake and want to grow past it. It's a good thing." He still felt tense, but the ache in his stomach started to fade. He couldn't help but huff out a breath as he took another step closer.

"Why do you sound like some sort of shrink?" Chardenay took step forward until they were a foot or two apart as he spoke and smiled.

"Remember, half of my job is helping my clients through problems. Why pay thousands for a shrink, when you can hire a hooker for a few hundred bucks and unload on them?" He scoffed and Henroin smiled.

"I guess I'm no better." He looked down at his hands while toying with his fingers. "I feel like you only ever answer my questions or listen to me complain."

"Oh, that's not true. You've told me things that made you happy too. That's not complaining, that's conversation." Chardenay held out his hand and waited for a moment. After looking at it for several prolonged seconds, he finally took the deathstalker's hand and let himself be guided. They moved further onto the dance floor and he immediately took the position he recognized even after all these years.

"You'd think I'd have forgotten this after a hundred or so years." Henroin chuckled but Chardenay simply smiled.

"Some things you'll never forget. Especially if they made you truly happy." With a hand on Chardenay's waist, he held the deathstalker's opposite hand. The soft orchestral tune played in, leading to a simple piano to set the melody. When he noticed how Char straightened his back, holding his head up high, he got the feeling that this definitely wasn't something idly learned for the man.

"Where did you learn to dance?" He asked the question just before taking the first step and guiding his partner in a waltz. As they turned, Chardenay smiled.

"My parents insisted. They wanted me to be "cultured" and "gentlemanly". Oops." The pressure he added to his voice proved that neither thing meant too much to him, especially the second. He couldn't help but chuckle at that.

"At least they meant well." Chardenay snorted.

"No they didn't. They really only wanted it so they could try to marry me off to the first girl I brought home. Too bad for them, I never brought anyone home." Now that made him laugh.