Silence [COMPLETE]

but i don't love him.

The ping of the microwave chimed among all the other noise that filled the house that evening, but she made no move to get up. She barely even acknowledged it.

"Dinner's ready." He called out from behind her, startling her as he placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently to get her attention.

Surprised, she whirled around to look at him but said nothing. He couldn't tell if she had even heard him as her face and posture didn't give anything away, but she didn't shrug his hand off of her shoulder so he could only assume that she had indeed heard him but chose to ignore him.

Again.

She didn't stand up to head to the kitchen nor did she turn back to stare at the blank screen of the television as she had been doing previously.

She just stared at him expectantly. 

"I made your favourite." He smiled down at her, holding out an awaiting hand, but she ignored it and walked around him as she headed into the kitchen. "Cheesy chicken pasta. Just the way you like it." He smiled at her again fully aware that he wasn't going to receive any sort of reaction from her, but he wasn't going to give up anytime soon.

Not now, not ever. 

She was too precious to give up on.

She didn't smile and she didn't thank him. She simply sat down and waited for him to do the same, only tucking into her favourite dish once he had done so.

She wanted to thank him, to smile at him and praise him on the delicious meal that he had made especially for her. She wanted to thank him for everything that he did for her, but she couldn't. She wouldn't.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come home for lunch." He apologised as he sipped at some water, watching her from under his long, dark eyelashes.

No answer.

"I saw that you made some lasagne."

No answer.

Reaching over the kitchen counter, he placed his hand upon hers, stroking the soft skin of the back of her hand with the pad of his thumb. "Thank you for leaving me a plate. It was great." He told her honestly, lucky enough to hold her gaze for as long as she allowed him to.

Eight seconds.

She allowed herself to indulge herself for eight seconds before she pulled her hand away and finished the rest of her meal, only managing to eat half of the mouth-watering pasta.

Standing up, she washed her plate quickly and left the kitchen.

Left him.