Galennic + “I don’t owe you anexplanation.”
The pitch of his tone risesslightly at the end of his question, his head tipping to the side in time withhis words. The hesitant beginnings of a smirk threaten to tug at the corner ofhis mouth as Orson Krennic peers at the man he’s known so many years, andattempts to read him with a certain doubt that he hasn’t felt since early on intheir friendship. This is absurd. It can’t be anything but a joke.
“I said that I’m married,Orson.”
“My hearing is fine. I’masking what you mean by that.”
“I think that’s fairlyclear. I’m married,” Galen repeats, ever calm, his brown eyes soft and honestas they meet Orson’s penetrating gaze. “Three months now. You’ve been away-”
“Yes, I know I’ve beenbloody away. I’m the one that was away,” Orson snaps, a bitternesscreeping into his voice that he knows is uncalled for. He doesn’t bother tocurb it. He simply pauses, chewing on his lip, his stare never falling, as if waitingfor this to make sense. “I don’t understand how this is possible.”
“I’m sure you can,” hereplies gently. “You’re a smart man. You knew I was seeing someone.”
Of course, he understandshow it’s possible, and yet it still doesn’t make sense in his mind. He doesn’t like when things don’t make sense. It makes him feel stupid and Orson Krennic does not handle any sort of embarrassment well. He wants to take that irritating confusion out on the only person that he can, and even that he can’t manage, every cruel word that springs to thought dying on his tongue before he can free it on the innocent man before him.
Galen is the first to lookaway in their little staring contest, his expression softening into somethingregretful that Orson wishes was meant for him in a different way. He wishesthat the man in front of him regretted what he’d told him, that it even happened.No, the look Orson reads on his ex-lover’s face is something like pity, butkinder. Galen has always been too kind for his own good.
“I suppose it’s herthen?” He spits out the word evenly, and yet it still feels full of venom.
“Who else would it be,Orson?”
Orson’s mouth twitches, lipspursing together, as he’s suddenly filled with the overpowering desire to flee. His instinct to fight flares and dies with every glance into Galen’s eyes and now there is only flight. Like a thief caught stealing or a child caught in a misdeed by a stern father,Orson wants to run and never look back, to never think of this again, and to avoid the consequence he brought upon himself by meeting Galen at all. Why hadhe done this? So stupid. To think…what he had thought when Galen had first contacted him. What he’s hoped for since theyparted ways, but what he’s always been too damned stubborn to ask for, to begfor from the man he’d loved most of his life.
“I don’t understand. Years,Galen. We were together years. You’d never even looked at a woman, and now-” Heshakes his head, looking away. “This doesn’t make sense.”
“To you, maybe not. To me,it makes perfect sense.”
“I don’t owe you anexplanation, Orson, not of my marriage nor my sexuality. I just wanted to tellyou.”
And it’s the way he says itthat breaks Orson’s heart, really and truly. It’s the pitiable kindness in itagain, like he feels sorry for him. It makes his cheeks flush andhis anger rise. Hot pricks sting at the backs of his piercing blue eyes. It’s as if everypart of Orson’s body wants to betray him and let his humiliation and hurt beknown to the only man that he has ever loved and he can’t stop it.
“Fine. You’ve done that.”
A tangible pause lingersbetween them, neither willing to leave, yet not quite knowing what to say.Finally, Galen reaches out and gently brushes the sleeve of Orson’s coat.
“No,” he replies, tighteninghis jaw and giving a dismissive nod. “You’re right. You don’t owe me anexplanation.” He shoots him a tight smile, the false expression all he can manage to muster. “Congratulations.”
He can’t take another moment, so with that he turns on his heel, hating thathe wishes with every retreating step that Galen might call him back.