āyou donāt have to talk, we can just sit togetherā from the sentence starters prompts
Eiji is already holding him.
āSorry,ā Ash gasps. āSorry, Iāmāsorry.ā
āYou have nothing to apologize for,ā Eiji says. Soft, gentle, like he always is with Ash.
āDid I wake you up?ā Ash asks. He already knows the answer, but wants to hear Eijiās response.
But Eiji hums. āItās not important.ā
āIt is,ā Ash insists. Heās still crying. āIt is. Your sleep is so much more important than ...ā Than me.
āAsh,ā Eiji chides. āThat is not true. I care about you.ā
Stop, Ash thinks. You shouldnāt. God, Eiji, you shouldnāt.
āDo you want to talk about the nightmare?ā Eiji asks.
And it comes back, all at once. Hands on his body, touching and touching and touching, and fucking hurting him. Itās not fair. Itās fucking unfair. Dreams arenāt supposed to hurt, so why does he always wake up in pain?
He flinches away from Eijiās touch.
āOkay,ā Eiji whispers, withdrawing his hands. āWrong thing to say. Iām sorry.ā
āNo, itāitās not your fault. Iām the fucked up one. Iām sorry. God, Eiji, Iām so fucking sorry.ā Ash sobs. Heās so ... broken.
Eiji deserves better. So, so much better. Thereās so much more out there, so much good in the world that Ash canāt give him.
I hate myself I hate myself I hate myselfā
āYou donāt have to talk,ā Eiji says. āWe can just sit together.ā
āWe can?ā Ash asks, gasping the words.
āOf course, Ash. You donāt have to do anything you donāt want to. You donāt even have to sit with me if youād rather be alone.ā
āNo!ā Ash says. āPlease ... Please stay ...ā
āOh, Ash. Of course I will stay, if you want me to. I just donāt want to hurt you.ā
āYou donāt. God, Eiji, you could never.ā
Eiji seems to hesitate. āI am glad that you think so, but I hope that ... if I do, you will tell me, yes?ā
ā... Yeah,ā Ash whispers. You could never. Youāre too kind to ever ... āIād tell you.ā
Thereās a beat of silence.
āBut I hurt you,ā Ash blurts. āDonāt I?ā
āAsh, sweetheart ...ā
Ash looks down at his lap, taking a breath. Trying to stop fucking crying. He canāt be guilt tripping Eiji right now.
āI would tell you too. Okay? We are equal. In this together, yes?ā
āSorry,ā Ash mumbles.
āYou donāt hurt me. You have never.ā
āDo you want to talk?ā
āDo you want me to hold you?ā
A nod, now. āJust hold me, please. Without words.ā
Eiji doesnāt say anything else. Just wraps his arms around Ash and guides him back down to the pillows. Itās not harshāhe doesnāt pin Ash down, orāor anything. His hold isnāt possessive, or demanding, or ...
It brings him to tears all over again, but this time heās happy to be crying in Eijiās arms. Happy to be here at all. Happy to have made it through, andā