redamancy

redamancy (RED-uh-man-see) noun: - the act of loving the one who loves you; a love returned in full.

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With a teary smile that didn't reach her eyes, she whispered, "I'm fine."

He smiled at the obvious lie. "Are you?"

She sniffled. "I'm tough."

"You are."

"I can take care of myself."

"You have. You still do. You always will. I've just joined in too. Now we take care of each other, yeah?" He interlocked his tattooed fingers with her delicate ones, and she let him. "You don't have to be strong with me, Adalyn. Tell me how I can help."

At a loss for words, she closed the gap and wrapped her small arms around his neck, her head in the crook of his neck. His strong arms wrapped around her middle in return, hesitant, but ready. "You already have."

His arms squeezed a fraction tighter.

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