Staring blankly at his phone, Eisen watched the backlight go out. Natalie. Eisen was surprised at that one. He was sure that his eyes were out of tears. They burned and itched and he was sure that if he tried to cry again he would just end up whimpering. He must have looked like a baby. Turning his head to look at Rory, he saw behind the calm, casual look he was sporting, that he was just as scared as Eisen. They’d moved to the living room now and were cuddled up on the couch, and Eisen could just… see it. Even if he couldn’t, he would have known.
He opened his mouth to speak and another text came in, the sound of the guitar chord he used as his text ringtone pulling him from his train of thought as he opened his phone and glanced at it. Nick McDermott. That was significantly less surprising. Especially the context. So we’re finally together and I’m only going to get to enjoy it for a few days, he thought as he turned to look at Rory, ignoring his phone as it went off this time. Just for a minute. Just long enough to talk to Rory.
His voice was raspy but he finally spoke. “I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I’m not sorry I told you, because I meant it, but I’m sorry that I…” he heard Rory’s phone go off again and closed his eyes. “I’m sorry that I dragged you down with me.” You had enough going on as it was… he wanted to cry more, but his eyes didn’t have any more tears.
Maybe it was selfish of him, he thought as the same ringtone went off again, but he couldn’t help but feel like Rory shouldn’t be with him. Rory should be at home. That way, Nick and his merry band of idiots who would undoubtedly come and rip Eisen to shreds, could do it and be done with it… and then they’d leave Rory alone. “You’d have been better off not knowing,” he mumbled. “Then I could have just protected you, taken care of you last night and we could just… not be dealing with all of this right now. I’m sorry, Rory…” he whispered, just in time for his phone to go off again.