Letting out a dutiful laugh, Saiden let it trail off when he realized how awful it sounded. "Guess we have that much in common, at least." Pressing his lips together, he shrugged.
As she pulled away in her own way, he sighed. Lifting an arm, he jerked his head towards it, clearly indicating that he wanted her to let him hold her. "Hey. C'mere." Whether or not she did, he'd offer her a weak smile.
"This is progress, you know." The words came out just a shade too casually, clearly forced, and he couldn't meet her gaze. "Because, as hard as it is for both of us, we're not repeating the same patterns as before."
Much more softly, and more genuinely and heartfelt, he added, "And I'll wait, if that's what it takes. For as long as it takes."
As she pulled away in her own way, he sighed. Lifting an arm, he jerked his head towards it, clearly indicating that he wanted her to let him hold her. "Hey. C'mere." Whether or not she did, he'd offer her a weak smile.
"This is progress, you know." The words came out just a shade too casually, clearly forced, and he couldn't meet her gaze. "Because, as hard as it is for both of us, we're not repeating the same patterns as before."
Much more softly, and more genuinely and heartfelt, he added, "And I'll wait, if that's what it takes. For as long as it takes."
