Charles Smith x Reader

Thirty-Two

Wrapped in silence you sat at the fire and stared into the flames. The crackling made your nerves tingle whenever sparks flew and wood crumbles to ashes.

Your heel hastily tapped onto the carpet. A few bloodstains from the night you've met Charles for the very first time we're still visible.

Charles tended to something in the back of the house but every once in a while he took a moment to shoot you a glance to make sure you weren't upset.

Or at least not upset enough to pull something stupid.

"You hungry?", he asked after a while to break the silence.

You shook your head. A low groan escaped you.

"You're awfully calm.", you noted through clenched teeth.

"And you're awfully railed up.", he offered you a cup of coffee.

The warmth of the steam caressed your lungs as you took a deep breath. Charles was a man of many talents but if he knew how to do one thing it was how to brew damn good coffee.

So good that it made your soul tremble as you took the first big sip of pitch black bean juice. He didn't even pour milk or anything.

A no nonsense guy.

"Anything I can help you with?", Charles sat down on the edge of your arm chair and took a sip of his own coffee before he let his fingers run along the side of your jawline.

Surprised by the sudden gesture, you flinched and awoke from your thoughts once more.

"Hard to answer that question.", you said with a sour voice. "Or at least the answer won't be fun."

"Hit me. I've survived by your side for quite a while now. You seem to make good calls."

"Well... yeah, I'm trying my best.", closing your eyes, you let out such a deep sigh that it made your chest tremble. "Look... it's not that I don't want you around."

Taken aback, he leaned back and looked you up and down.

"You want me gone?", somehow there seemed to be a little hurt in his words.

"No!", you were way too quick to answer that question without it being suspicious. "No, I... I don't want you gone. Not at all. I just think this isn't the right place for you to stay no more."

Charles fell silent.

"It's not ideal.", he admitted but shrugged. "I've had worse before though."

"And I don't think that's necessary. Not in this time and age."

"You'd be one of the few to think so."

"Charles.", you turned to meet his eyes. "I firmly believe a good man doesn't deserve to be threatened. But we both know if you stay here there is a high chance of worse happening."

He fell silent. You could read it in his eyes, how he knew that you were right. And as much as he wanted to, there was no way around it.

No way but to pack his bags and leave.

With a sorry look on your face you tried to find the right words, wanted to tell him how sorry you were and that you'd never ask him to leave unless it was absolutely necessary.

But you just couldn't find a way to not make it sound like a poor excuse. Once again you were worried about the safety of a stranger, a man who had to learn how to survive the hard way.

You tried to make it good. But Charles knew how to do that himself.

"What if I don't want to leave?", the question struck you like lightning.

It felt like cold water poured down on you. It was both clearing your head while also paralysing your entire body down to your toes.

It was so bitter sweet to hear this from him. It felt like everything you could have asked for, a reassurance that he didn't grow tired of you yet.

But at the same time it was like a knife to the heart, making this only a million times harder than it had to be. Or you wanted it to be.

Your breath trembled as you dug your nails into your knees.

"You'd risk your safety.", you said, not daring to look at him.

Charles' eyes darkened. He looked up, out the window to see the bison play with the cows. He could hear insects fly and birds chirp.

A soft breeze caressed the treetops and made leaves fall.

This would have been a good place to settle. It was cozy and calm. Save even. But something tugged at the strings of his soul.

Even though he did not want to admit it, he would have left so many weeks ago. If it hadn't been for you.

He wasn't attached to this place.

But you?

The thought of leaving you behind stung. Even more so than the fact that he had basically abandoned the gang for months now only to have a few more days with you.

Charles couldn't say why he did what he did. But he knew who he did it for. And he didn't feel regret about it.

"You can't stay. That would be stupid.", suddenly you got up from your seat to look him dead in the eye. "And I don't want to let you loose all by yourself."

A crack opened between his lips as he met your gaze. His hands tightened around the cup he held.

"But..."

"Charles.", you didn't let him finish as you bend down to breathe a kiss to his cheek. "You've been around for a while now and I like to believe it's because of me."

Struck by the sudden gesture of affection he pressed his lips into a thin line. His eyes jumped over your face, trying to find the right words or at least figure out what would be the next best thing to do.

He chose to be dumb about it instead. Without a single warning Charles leaned forward and pressed a kiss to your lips.

It was anything but shy, though very gentle and almost fragile. As if he wasn't entirely sure if that had been the right choice.

You didn't pull away. Nor did you lash out at him.

Instead, you let your hand slide into the back of his neck and kissed him deeply.