If I can stop one heart from breaking
If I can ease one life the aching
If I can ease one life the aching
"Sandwich it is!" He happily plays into the jovial tone, lifting her hand to press a loud kiss to her knuckles before he dares to part their fingers - and quickly replacing it with the tea as the water comes to a boil. She'll have to wait for it to steep, but at least she can cling to it while he makes her the requested sandwich. He checks in with what ingredients she wants as he puts it together, carefully slicing it diagonally the way he has since Jude was a baby.
"Alright, back to the couch with you." He shoos her dramatically with one hand, carrying the sandwich with the other and dogging her steps as they return to the living room. He waits for her to have a free hand before handing her the plate, sitting beside her on the couch this time. It seems she hasn't had any negative reactions to physical closeness, so he feels more confident doing so. It also makes him privately relieved, assuming whatever trauma had occurred had not been sexual in nature, or at least had not advanced far enough to make her cringe away from his touch. "No talking about anything serious until that sandwich is gone, okay? And maybe even after a bubble bath." If she shows interest in the idea he'll make that a priority too.
Turning more towards her, he touches her hand gently. "And if you don't want to talk about it tonight at all, you don't have to. The spare room is all yours for as long as you need it - and mine too, if you want. Jude still sleeps with me sometimes, but you can't tell him I told you that." Smiling and touching the side of his nose with a finger, winking cheekily in the hopes of making her smile despite the sincerity of the offer.
"Alright, back to the couch with you." He shoos her dramatically with one hand, carrying the sandwich with the other and dogging her steps as they return to the living room. He waits for her to have a free hand before handing her the plate, sitting beside her on the couch this time. It seems she hasn't had any negative reactions to physical closeness, so he feels more confident doing so. It also makes him privately relieved, assuming whatever trauma had occurred had not been sexual in nature, or at least had not advanced far enough to make her cringe away from his touch. "No talking about anything serious until that sandwich is gone, okay? And maybe even after a bubble bath." If she shows interest in the idea he'll make that a priority too.
Turning more towards her, he touches her hand gently. "And if you don't want to talk about it tonight at all, you don't have to. The spare room is all yours for as long as you need it - and mine too, if you want. Jude still sleeps with me sometimes, but you can't tell him I told you that." Smiling and touching the side of his nose with a finger, winking cheekily in the hopes of making her smile despite the sincerity of the offer.
I shall not live in vain
HARPER
