[Much better. The honesty doesn't make this more comfortable, but Charles isn't holding his breath for that. Raw vulnerability never feels good, when it only ever leaves him feeling fragile, and the same seems to be true for Magpie. It's a step forward, though, and confirmation of what he felt between them on the beach. That's better than dodging the truth that was always going to come for them, one way or another.

It's the only thing that could happen, when they connected the way they did. Those kinds of moments between people don't happen by chance - not for him. It means there's something between him and this man, even if it's only a mutual care, or a fulfilling of unspoken needs.

Even if it was just a flicker of their souls aligning for a moment, if that's the truth, he needs to know.]

It was different because it was personal and caring, [he supposes.] It mattered to me that you took your time with me, when whatever magics that occurred didn't require it. [The only necessity seemed to be that they had sex.] In the moment, it felt like you wanted me, for me. [Which was what made it feel so powerful.]

I don't know what 'to do' with that either, [he confesses] but I think it's enough that we acknowledge it was something good in this place, and that we both got something significant out of it.

I'd like for us to continue being friends, [as he sees it] so if there's anything that would stand in the way of that because of the beach, I'd see us try to work through it now. [It's asking a lot of Magpie when he already sounds at a loss, but he's hopeful that putting a path before them both will help with allowing questions to crystallize. Questions, awkwardness, or issues between them that he can make some attempt at addressing.]