He nuzzled her sweet face. “Please, just tell me what’s wrong.”
“I can’t.” She turned and hid her pained expression in the crook of his shoulder. She had always been like that: fearful and dismissive. It wasn’t pride that kept her from showing her emotions in front of people. No, it was her large heart. The last thing she wanted was for others to worry about her. She would be more willing to lock herself away in a dark tower somewhere than to see someone in pain because of her.
“Why can’t you?” He never knew why she had fallen in love with him, knowing in his heart that she deserved better. But for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to push her away. He had always been deemed a “charity case” because he was always hurting those who grew too close to him. Perhaps it was the strange similarity they shared of preventing others from becoming too reliant on them that drew them closer. Or perhaps it was their unrivaled stubbornness.
However, it was that same stubbornness that led them to this point.
Something had happened earlier that day that caused her to become even more reclusive than normal. So reclusive, that she stopped lying.
“I just can’t. If I tell you,” she added the next part in a hoarse whisper. “you may hate me.”
“I could never hate you.” He kissed the top of her head.
“If I tell you, you could.”
“Please look at me.” He wasn’t used to asking politely when it came to something he needed done, but he wasn’t in the position to begin making demands. She was strong, but that caused her to be very fragile. If he was to begin yelling and forcing her to answer, she would crumble into a thousand tiny pieces, the exact same way he found her.
Her blue eyes met his grey ones for a brief second before averting away. She never once looked anyone in directly in the eyes. Not because she was arrogant, but because she was afraid.
“You know I love you.” Gently, he brushed some of her chestnut bangs out of her face. “You know I wouldn’t even dream of hating you. All I do, I do for you. That includes destroying whatever is hurting you.”
“What is hurting me…” She echoed soullessly.
“Yes. Whatever is paining you, I want to eliminate.” More forceful than usual, he pulled her closer to him. “I can’t stand to see you like this. I want to fix whatever is wrong. But I’m no mind reader. It might seem like I am, but I’m not. I need you to tell me what’s wrong so I can help you.” Out of habit, he smoothed her hair down. “It hurts me more when you don’t rely on me sometimes.”
Her entire façade shattered like a mirror. That one little comment tore the curtain she had drawn between her and the outside world. First one tear snaked its way down her cheeks, then another, and soon more came until they where in a constant stream.
But she never sobbed. She never hiccupped. She never made a sound.
“I’m scared.” She finally admitted, her voice cracking slightly. “I’m scared that you’re going to leave me.”
“Is that all?” Slowly, he rocked her back and forth in an effort to calm her down.
“Not really…I’m scared that I’m not good enough for you. I’m scared you’re going to go back to the way you used to be and most of all… I’m scared you’re going to find someone else.”
“I won’t. Simple as that. I already told you,” He kissed away some renegade tears. “I’m yours forever. And don’t forget, you’re the one that changed me. And I’m just about as stubborn as you are, so I won’t be changing back anytime soon – or ever, for that matter.”
“…Promise?”
“I promise.”
