Sweet. Gentle. The tender feeling of Clare’s hand against his cheek made Axel’s entire body stiffen up momentarily. He had never known a touch to be so soft before. Not when it was directed to him, if you discounted the interactions he had with his little sister. This was when he was supposed to pull away, move, snap, shove. He didn’t. Fuck, he didn’t.
Instead, his eyes closed, as if then he could savour the sweet taste the caress left in his mouth. He could imprint the knots in his stomach to memory. He was big, strong, rugged, these were not things that he was made to feel. They were not things he was supposed to feel. He was a heathen, a criminal, a misfit piece of trash from the wrong side of the tracks who was never really going anywhere with his life. That is how Clare was supposed to see him, and now here he was. Needing to hear that someone as pure and wholesome and good as Clare could trust him. Needing it more than he needed air in his lungs.
He lifts his much larger hand to Clare’s for a moment, a look of puzzlement on his brow. He didn’t know why Clare would trust him. How he could. What made him worthy. He questioned it, just like he questioned how he could be worthy of a touch so innocent and kind.
“I won’t let anything happen to you..”
He meant ever, but that was easily played off by the situation at hand. “I just want to take you somewhere. I want to show you how it feels, I could never hurt you.” HIs voice was barely a whisper. He knew that riding his motorcycle was a big deal. Of course, Clare would get the helmet. Night had already fallen, which Axel knew made it all the more terrifying.
“Just don’t let go and everything will be okay.”
