Primal love

Three: Understanding

"Oh no, I didn't mean to..." he began, his voice filled with immediate concern as he released me fully, eyes wide and frantic.

"You... you bit me," I said, my voice shaky as I looked up at him, half in disbelief and half in apprehension.

"I thought I was being gentle," he whispered, running a frantic hand through his hair. "I didn't mean to hurt you, I just... I lost control."

His gaze darted to my leg, where I could already see a faint imprint of his teeth. "Let me see," he said, his voice softening, and he gently lifted me closer to inspect the mark.

"No, no," I said quickly, shaking my head as I pulled back from his touch. "Just... put me down. I need to think." My voice was unsteady, and I could see the hurt flash across his face. For a moment, he looked utterly lost, his eyes wide and pleading as if searching for some kind of reassurance.

"Gem, I—" he started, but I cut him off.

"Please," I insisted, my gaze locked onto his. I didn't want to see the raw emotion in his eyes, didn't want to feel the guilt that was already gnawing at me. He had hurt me, but I could see how deeply it had shaken him too.

Slowly, almost reluctantly, he lowered me to the floor, his hand trembling slightly as he released me. I took a step back, putting distance between us, and wrapped my arms around myself as if to ward off the lingering fear.

"I didn't mean to," he said again, his voice cracking, his hand hovering as if he wanted to reach for me but didn't dare.

"I know," I replied softly, looking away, my chest tightening. "I just... I need to be alone for a minute."

His shoulders slumped, the tension draining out of him like a deflated balloon. "Okay," he said hoarsely, taking a step back. "I'll... I'll give you space."

He retreated to the far side of the kitchen, and I watched him go, feeling a pang of regret twist inside me. He looked devastated, his face pale and eyes shadowed with a remorse.

But I needed a moment to clear my head, to understand the swirl of emotions inside me. I needed to figure out why part of me still wanted to comfort him, even after everything that had happened.

He stood in the corner of the kitchen, fidgeting with the coffee maker, his hands moving aimlessly over the buttons and knobs. He clearly wasn't trying to make coffee, just needing something to occupy his restless hands. Watching him like that so big and usually confident, now standing there like a lost puppy, it was kinda cute. A small, involuntary smile tugged at my lips despite everything, the absurdity of the situation sinking in for just a moment.

I watched him for a moment, my mind a jumble of emotions.

I wanted to tell him it wasn't forever, that this space between us was just temporary, something I needed to process everything that had happened. But looking at him now, I wasn't sure if he could handle hearing that. Maybe he needed this distance too, to understand the lines he had crossed and the control he had to find.

"Ky..." I said softly, my voice catching, but he didn't look up, his fingers still fumbling with the coffee maker's buttons. I could tell he was listening, though his whole posture tensed like he was waiting for a verdict.

"I just need some time," I continued, forcing myself to say the words even as a lump formed in my throat. "Some space to clear my head, you know? It's not forever, just... for a little while."

His fingers froze mid-motion, and he finally looked up at me, his eyes wide with uncertainty. "Are you... leaving?" he asked, his voice small, as if he was bracing himself for the worst.