Darkness Ethereal | K.TH

His First and My Last

"Tzuyu."

He seems stunned as he jerks his hand away, stumbling backwards into the walls. The moment I see the life returned to his eyes, relief crashes down on my body.

"V!"

He only tenses as I throw my arms around his frozen form, letting his warmth seep and blend into mine. A relieved smile paints itself across my lips as I embrace him tighter.

I'd really believed he wasn't going to come back.

Then the smile fades as he unravels my arms from his figure, a look of numb horror on his features. My expression grows frozen as well as I stare into his chaotic eyes, waiting for what he might just say next.

He looked terrified.

"I-I hurt you?"

Before I can even think of how to reply, my mind and body act first. My head instantly swivels left and right as I repeat no until he looks even slightly convinced.

"No, V." I say, taking in the fear in his gestures, the trembling in his hand. He looks so vulnerable at the moment that it seems like he's going to break any second.

"You didn't do anything."

"But I was about to," He says, eyes narrowing and widening again in realization. "I was about to."

"You stopped yourself," I remind him, as gently as I possibly can as I carefully wrap my arms around his shaking figure again. This time, I don't let him push me away.

"The important thing is that you stopped." I repeat, pressing his body to mine as his face twists into a wince. Sadness downturns the corners of my lips at the sight of him, so agonized and in suffering.

I'd do anything, give up anything to take that away from him.

I can feel his reluctance as he touches me, hands soft but desperate. He whispers so quietly that I barely manage to catch the meaning behind.

"I didn't mean to be like that," He says, vulnerability twisting the silk of his voice. "I swear, I promise I didn't mean to—"

"Of course, V. I know." I press my palm against his back as comfortingly as I can, sorrowful that he was always driven to think like this. It wasn't his fault in the beginning.

"It's not your fault. And no matter what happens, I will help you through this. I promise."

__________________________

V's POV

I can't sleep.

It's been hours since she'd last told me that she'd walk my path with me, that she would help me with my problems.

And I still can remember the words like she'd spoken it just a second ago.

Moonlight spills onto my face as I throw the blankets away, finding the mattress too warm for my comfort. I'd gotten too used to the arctic temperatures in the prison, too used to the dull darkness among the cells.

Even though I can feel my face flushed a soft red from the heat, the tips of my fingers tremble with a chill disassociated with the temperature in the room.

I can still picture my hand raised over her small figure.

I'd been about to hit her— hurt her. What would've happened if I'd found the flashlight just a second or two later? What would've happened if I'd forgotten the flashlight at all?