Firefly Glen i'll be right here

The tone of Osiris' voice made Charles pause, too, his leg in mid-air. He glanced at the place that Osiris had marked, so tempted to mark over it, but he knew better than that. The tone in Osiris' voice showed that he was getting angry. The hairs on Charles' neck rose in response, and he licked his lips submissively as a subconscious, instinctive gesture, although his body remained neutral.

The question was pointed and very clearly suggestive, as much as Charles' statement had been, but it lacked the same neutrality to it. Osiris wasn't playing. Charles looked him in the eye while his mind screamed at him to say it -- heel licker, heel licker, heel licker. It was an open door waiting to be kicked in, it was hard to resist. Yet Charles reminded himself that Leta had said she would not be queen beside Osiris, but his subordinate. So instead, he said, his voice cool, calm, yet with a new hint of calculation that had not often been there before: Someone who is not about to throw out Leta's best friend. He wasn't sure if it would calm Osiris down, or if it would anger him further. He wasn't sure which one he preferred. Gah, why was this so complicated? And why was Osiris the only one who it was really this complicated with? Why did he keep wanting to teeter on the edge of the ravine without fully falling in? It made no sense! But then again, nothing in life really did make sense.

Finally Charles broke eye contact and he was suddenly casual Charles again. He grinned and shrugged his shoulders as he said: Look, man, I did not mean anything by it, so uh, sorry. I didn't know you were sensitive. I'll watch it next time.