How To Fall From Grace [MxM]

Step 24: Fall together

How long had he been standing outside Marius' door?

Frey tried to convince his hand to move for the third time, just enough to knock on the damn thing, but it would not budge. He couldn't blame it either. He dreaded knocking. What would Marius do when he saw him? What if he told him to go away? What if he yelled at him again? And what if he just didn't open the door at all? Would Frey have to stand outside in the rain even longer?

His hood had almost fallen back to leave his head unprotected against the weather, and he pulled it further over his head with a trembling hand. Anxiety was thriving in his chest, feasting on his breath and sending cold sweats to prickle his skin, as if making up for where the rain failed to reach.

For the love of Ilara or whoever, just knock.

Before he could make another attempt to move however, the door opened. Right in his face. And for a second time Frey got a taste of what it was like to be Luna.

A confused Marius looked behind the door with a frown, saying nothing as Frey recovered from awkwardly staggering backwards with a hand covering his nose. He didn't say anything as Frey made an effort to seek eye contact either, forcing a reluctant Frey to speak first.

"I..." Frey inhaled a deep breath. "... Think maybe we should... Talk."

Marius' expression was hard to read as he moved to the side, at least letting Frey in without turning him away. His swollen eye looked slightly better than the day before but it still made his face look dour, and Frey had no idea if it corresponded with the emotions he felt at the time.

"So..." Frey hesitated again, eyes wandering down to notice Marius' coat. "... You were heading outside. I mean, it's not surprising... You did open the—"

His sentence ended abruptly as Marius threw his arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"Uh," was all Frey could utter as the air went out of him, but even as he regained his breath he couldn't find words.

"I was so worried about you." Marius ran a hand through Frey's hair while pressing him closer, and the latter buried into his shoulder with a relieved exhale.

All of a sudden, Frey's knees thought it appropriate to buckle. He'd been so tense. Fear and anxiety had clutched him hard, and as the feelings melted away to allow some relaxation, his worn out limbs had no interest in holding him up anymore.

"Can I sit somewhere?" he asked as Marius had to adjust his grip on him to keep him from sliding down on the floor.

He sat down on the bed, much preferring the stability compared to the lonely chair, and though it had not been made yet it was a comfy place to sit.

"I was going to see you." Marius sat down next to him after helping him off with his coat. "Or at least try... I don't know if it would have been possible, but I had to know what happened. Are you alright?"

"I came here to apologise," Frey said without giving any thought to Marius' question. He'd readied himself all morning to go there and say what he wished to, so he couldn't risk getting off track. "And I know you're angry and may not want to listen, but I don't want to leave things the way they did—"

"Frey." Marius placed a finger against Frey's lips. "At least answer me first."

Frey blinked, question catching up to him and despite his reluctance to stray from what he had to say, the words confused him.

"If I'm...?"

"Are you alright?" Marius repeated, looking more and more convinced that was not the case. "Are you hurt?"