Wilting Flowers

23: The Eye of the Storm

"No. I just..." He trailed off. "I'm sorry." His voice broke. Tears jerked at his eyes.

"Pull your hood up."

He did as she asked, shaking.

Immy wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him into a hug. Her head rested on top of his.

The tears fell.

He weeped in her arms like a child would. Neither of them spoke a word, but it felt like so much was said. Raw emotion was exchanged between the two.

She ran her hand up and down his back, comforting, calm.

Much more comforting than he deserved.

"Immy-"

She shushed him.

"-You don't have to deal with me. You've taken care of me enough in the last nineteen- no, actually. Three years," He continued.

"I want to."

"Why?"

"...Because I love you," She murmured, the words honey on her tongue.

"You shouldn't."

"Shh."

Grim exhaled and buried his face in her shoulder.

"I love you too," He whispered.

"I know." She placed her hand on his hooded head. "...I know we just had this talk, but this is-."

"-I'm sorry."

"No. Stop."

"That's how I feel."

"I think you should go back to a therapist."

Grim grimaced.

"No. Gabriel already tried to convince me, not you too."

"I know that last time you went it just made everything much worse, but-"

"-What?"

"You came back from a therapist appointment out in the void, screaming, and sobbing. Remember? I had cabin fever, so I was on the porch. Only reason I found you was because you were screaming so fucking loud."

Oh.

Grim's heart dropped.

Axel. The allseer appointment.

I lied.

"Oh."

It's for the best, right? I can't just tell her.

"Yeah. That wasn't normal- I think it'd help so much."

Grim shook his head.

"...Okay, fine- what's actually stopping you from going?"

He froze.

"What?" He asked her.

"What's stopping you?"

Grim thought for a moment.

"You won't like the answer."

"Probably not. I want to know, though."

Grim inhaled, preparing himself.

"...What if I don't deserve to get better?"

Grim was grateful his face was still pressed into Immy's shoulder, unable to see her face.

She squeezed him tighter, closer- as if he could run off any moment.

Her breaths trembled every exhale. He expected her to sniffle a little bit. After all, he was hurting her.