𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚 | 𝐓𝐨𝐣𝐢 𝐅𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐨

- Chapter 35 -

Time seems to stand still as Toji slowly leans in towards Helia, the distance between their lips closing millimeter by millimeter until finally, she feels the pressure of his lips against hers.

As Helia gently threads her fingers through Toji's hair, caressing it softly, she can feel him shiver slightly under her touch.

His eyes close for a moment, savoring the feeling of her hand in his hair, the feeling of being touched with kindness, with tenderness.

He breaks the kiss, his forehead touching hers as he draws in a shuddering breath.

The kiss has left them both a bit disoriented. Their mind is swirling with a mixture of surprise, confusion. They stand there, close to each other, trying to process the intensity and suddenness of that kiss.

He breaks the silence first, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know what came over me..."

His eyes search hers, as if seeking some kind of understanding, some kind of reassurance that he hasn't just crossed a line that can't be uncrossed.

His breath hitches as Helia pulls him into another gentle kiss, the relief that washes over him nearly palpable. He melts into the kiss, his battered lips moving against hers in a slow gesture.

His hands wrap around her waist, gently pulling her closer. His hands grip her slightly tighter as he returns the kiss.

The kiss deepens, both of them losing themselves in the sensation of each other. His hands slide around her waist, his weary body molding against hers.

It's as if he's trying to absorb everything he can from this moment, fearing that it may be momentary, that he may go back to loneliness and isolation once it's over. His lips move against hers with an almost gentle desperation.

She lets his hands wander on her body, relishing the gentle feeling of his lips against hers. She moves her hand in his hair in a soothing manner, afraid to hurt him with any movement.

In the midst of the soft kiss, Toji gently lays Helia down on top of him, his arms encircling her. But as he does, he suddenly groans in pain, the weight of her body against his bruised, battered form proving to be more than he expected.

His eyes widen in a mixture of pain and surprise, his body instinctively tensing up to try and bear the discomfort.

Seeing his discomfort, Helia gently pulls away. He lets her go with a hint of reluctance. It's almost as if he's torn between the desire to continue the kiss and the need to prevent further pain from his injuries.

"We should stop. You're still hurt, you need to rest..."

He sighs, a mixture of resignation and reluctant agreement. She's right, of course, he's hurting, and the last thing he should be doing is engaging in any kind of physical activity that could worsen his injuries.

"Yeah, you're right." he mutters, a hint of disappointment in his weary eyes.

Helia moves off him and sits on the bed next to him, a small part of her misses the closeness and warmth of his body, but he's too hurt right now, and she can't form a coherent thought.

He settles back against the bed, a weary sigh escaping his lips as he tries to calm his racing heart.

Helia sighs, trying to process what just happened. He glances over at her, seeing the perplexed expression on her face. A moment of silence passes before he breaks it with a sigh of his own, his eyes trained on the floor in front of him.

"I didn't..." He pauses, as if gathering his thoughts. "I didn't scare you, did I?"

She shakes her head vividly. "Of course not! I'm just trying to... you know... process what just happened."