she quiets just for a moment, palms flat against the bed, one on either side, still ready to run from the looks of it.
he felt like he was getting whiplash. he watched her silently, eyebrows tightly knit, lips pressed, unsure of whether to laugh or not. judging from the way she reacted, and continued, still, in that instant, he knew he fucked up. not really in the sense that she’d never see him again — hopefully not — but in the real sad, guilty way. and he really did feel that now — sad and guilty.
“no, i’m not. i haven’t left yet because peyton’s being... are you alright?” at that point, he couldn’t hold it; he laughed, albeit nervously and with utmost caution, somehow a bit afraid he would tick her off. “that’s fine, i wasn’t planning on taking you anywhere. no need to break from your comfort or anything. er, well — i guess i already kind of ruined that for you.”
upon inquiry, he grinned immediately and held his perfectly wrapped box up in the air, waving it. “merry christmas. i figured i’d give it you now before i left. you can open it now if you'd like, up to you.”
the gift wasn’t anything special — nothing of material value; he was too broke for that. so again, like he did with peyton’s gift, he made it. a secret book safe with an ivory cover. and not wanting to waste the crystals he bought for peyton’s amulet, he planted one in the middle. muggle protection, a concept he was a bit too obsessed over recently.
