Jonathan Sims

Martin stares into John's unabashedly sweet expression with something approaching defiance, as if daring John to argue with him over his own merits as a romantic partner, only to find John listing toward him, leaning even more pointedly into the suggestion of... of sensuality. This has all become completely ridiculous, but even still, he wasn't expecting this. Martin's mouth drops open and then snaps shut as he flounders for a moment, not quite pulling away, but still rather frozen in place.

"I—" he blurts, not even certain why he has any instinct to push back against this. Perhaps for the same reason that he refused to abandon his own sour mood: he's pretty sure he doesn't deserve to be let off the hook for all this, much less rewarded for it.

But that's too many words to get out just now. For a few beats he just stammers silently, then he finally manages a completely bewildered, "What?!"