Suddenly, the game takes a sharp turn directly into dealing with whatever any of it may actually mean. With only three words, Mick has managed to all but completely derail every part of this that was only a game, to push a little more just to see who would give first. Surprise. It was Mick. Except Leonard is definitely the more off-balance of the two, suddenly.
For longer than the beat, maybe two, that it should have been before he found the right off-hand quip to throw his way, Leonard is frozen, staring at Mick, nothing but that blinding, sharp feeling of CAUGHT running through his veins. And when he finds his voice again, his voice is soft, quiet, a nervous tint to it. He doesn't really know what to say, so it kind of comes out in a mess. "I- I don't... what- what do you mean?" Does he really have to put words to it? Can't Mick just do that thing he does where he almost seems to be able to read him like an open book?
It doesn't matter that, logically, Leonard knows that some things simply have to be put into words. Boundaries made, lines drawn, expectations laid out. He'd really rather the other thing. It's so much easier.
no subject
For longer than the beat, maybe two, that it should have been before he found the right off-hand quip to throw his way, Leonard is frozen, staring at Mick, nothing but that blinding, sharp feeling of CAUGHT running through his veins. And when he finds his voice again, his voice is soft, quiet, a nervous tint to it. He doesn't really know what to say, so it kind of comes out in a mess. "I- I don't... what- what do you mean?" Does he really have to put words to it? Can't Mick just do that thing he does where he almost seems to be able to read him like an open book?
It doesn't matter that, logically, Leonard knows that some things simply have to be put into words. Boundaries made, lines drawn, expectations laid out. He'd really rather the other thing. It's so much easier.