[His only answer at first is that he folds her in close, and his arms are tight around her in return; he has learned, in the past weeks, to overcome his own discomfort and offer exactly the kind of comfort this is to most others. He has learned to be solid and to trust, to let her lean in the security of his arms as long as she likes.
There is no telling how much longer he will be able to do this, so he does it now, his eyes closing, listening to her voice thanking him and letting the knot of emotion dispersing slowly in his own gut warm him from the inside out without analysis. There is too much, for this moment.]
Abigail. [Just her name, next. Everything he could ever want to say in it: that he has meant every word he has ever said to her, that he loves her, that he always will, that she is his friend, she is his, she is]
I love you. I always will. [He says it above her head, where he has tucked her under his chin, where he holds on tight as she has helped him to know, as she has helped teach him, too.]
[ Spam ]
There is no telling how much longer he will be able to do this, so he does it now, his eyes closing, listening to her voice thanking him and letting the knot of emotion dispersing slowly in his own gut warm him from the inside out without analysis. There is too much, for this moment.]
Abigail. [Just her name, next. Everything he could ever want to say in it: that he has meant every word he has ever said to her, that he loves her, that he always will, that she is his friend, she is his, she is]
I love you. I always will. [He says it above her head, where he has tucked her under his chin, where he holds on tight as she has helped him to know, as she has helped teach him, too.]