[ comfort ] a tender kiss to provide comfort or reassurance
Kisses meme | @pmtcrn
Carter clasped his hands behind his neck, drawing air in through his mouth, and then back out again in several nervous, rapid-fire breaths that made his vision tremble. “It’s all right,” he panted, seeing Andrea hovering in his peripheral. “Y-you didn’t know, it’s…it’s fine.”
He didn’t let anyone know, if he could help it — not even the ones he loved and trusted.
Her playful note to him had been written on an old Valentine (it was the only thing she'd had on hand, Andrea confided), but all he could see was the heart-shaped cardstock he’d held before the burning, twin fire of a blade tore into his lower back once, twice, which then left him all but paralyzed on the floor, trembling with hot, slippery blood pooling around him in a crimson halo.
“I’m okay,” he choked out, needing to believe it, “I-I’m fine, I just…I…” can’t breathe.
Andrea’s hands came up to cradle his face, and amidst his panic, Carter was far too frozen to resist. He gaped back at her with wide, bleary eyes, and although the sight of her was a comfort to him, a soothing balm, he couldn’t keep from trembling as she attempted to ground him in the moment.
“‘m fine,” he attempted again, but this time his voice slurred. I’mokayI’mokayI’mokay.
Andrea tugged on his hair then, firm, but not harshly, and drew his mouth down over hers, anchoring him there in the present, and drawing the poison from the wound lancing across his heart. He melted into her touch, sagging heavily as tears burned behind his eyes, and his hands tremblingly clutched at her waist.
I’m here, I’m here, I’m alive, I’m here…
