She could feel him shifting against her hold; not like he was trying to get away, but like he didn’t know how to be comfortable in a hug. Leaning her head on his shoulder again, she stroked down his back, trying not to let her mind wander off into places it had no business going. She wished she had better control of her body, though.
Although at least, since she was a girl, he wouldn’t be able to tell. Sometimes she hated herself for the way she became attached so quickly, the way she found almost everyone attractive. It felt like cheating to simply excuse it as hormones, too.
Settling down as he felt her fingers slide down the bumps in his spine as she held him close, Isaac slowly began to relax, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he pillowed his head on top of hers. This was nice, and although it would take some getting used to, he knew that he’d want to hug Summer again.
“Are you okay?” he murmured after some time, not wanting an uncomfortable silence to fall upon the two of them as they sat there hugging each other.
“Yeah,” she said softly. “Yeah, I’m okay now.” It wasn’t the whole truth, but it was enough. Distractedly, she kept petting his back, until her fingers caught in the edge of his shirt and brushed his skin, and then she did jerk back. “Sorry.”
“You let me do that.” Simple. She shrugged and moved back a little bit more. “You didn’t freak out.”
“I trust you; I told you that,” he stated simply, fingers twitching against her back as he continued the hug, mentally vowing to keep on going until she pushed him away, or he got too uncomfortable.
She could feel him shifting against her hold; not like he was trying to get away, but like he didn’t know how to be comfortable in a hug. Leaning her head on his shoulder again, she stroked down his back, trying not to let her mind wander off into places it had no business going. She wished she had better control of her body, though.
Although at least, since she was a girl, he wouldn’t be able to tell. Sometimes she hated herself for the way she became attached so quickly, the way she found almost everyone attractive. It felt like cheating to simply excuse it as hormones, too.
Isaac was hugging her. He was hugging her back, and not flinching away, and he wasn’t unhappy about it. Summer sniffed hard, once, and clung tighter. Here was this person who had so many struggles of his own, and he was willing to push aside his fears to help her. She could hear his breathing rise a little, and feel his heartbeat strong under her touch, but he was conquering his fear. She made herself loosen her grip and pull away enough to look into his eyes. “You,” she told him sincerely, “are amazing.”
It was hard brushing aside the rising wave of fear that threatened to overwhelm him, and he knew that she would be able to feel the slight tremors that travelled through him, but Isaac was doing alright. It had been a long time since he’d been touched in kindness, nevermind hugged, and it was taking him a few moments to come to terms with that fact. As she pulled away, he ducked his head and smiled shyly. “Really? How come?”
“You let me do that.” Simple. She shrugged and moved back a little bit more. “You didn’t freak out.”
She buried her face in his neck, nose against his skin, and made a humming sound of agreement. She would have to let go eventually, she knew, or end up pushing him away by wanting too much. But not /just/ now. Just now he was warm and genuinely sweet and she missed hugs.
Unconsciously angling his neck back a little to allow her more room, he ever so slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, trying to control his breathing as he lost himself in his first ever hug. Or at least, the only one he could remember. Allowing a mostly comfortable silence to fall upon them then, he smiled and allowed her to take the comfort she clearly needed from him in that moment.
Isaac was hugging her. He was hugging her back, and not flinching away, and he wasn’t unhappy about it. Summer sniffed hard, once, and clung tighter. Here was this person who had so many struggles of his own, and he was willing to push aside his fears to help her. She could hear his breathing rise a little, and feel his heartbeat strong under her touch, but he was conquering his fear. She made herself loosen her grip and pull away enough to look into his eyes. “You,” she told him sincerely, “are amazing.”
Summer didn’t give any thought to what she did next; she just reacted with the impulsivity that was one of her greatest faults. She half-rolled out of her chair and hugged Isaac tightly. “I don’t want you to leave,” she whispered.
As expected, he tensed up but only briefly, breath hitching before he ever so slowly relaxed and melted into her arms. Reaching to tentatively pat her on the head, he smiled and ducked his head almost shyly. “I’m not going anywhere, Summer. I promise.”
She buried her face in his neck, nose against his skin, and made a humming sound of agreement. She would have to let go eventually, she knew, or end up pushing him away by wanting too much. But not /just/ now. Just now he was warm and genuinely sweet and she missed hugs.
“I’m only doing it so I don’t do something stupid,” she protested quietly. “I get attached to people awfully quickly and I don’t want you to think I’m clingy or anything.” She looped a falling strand of hair back behind her ear with her free hand.
“I hate to admit it, but I’m probably just as clingy as you. You’ve already guessed about my past, so you can understand why I am the way I am. I don’t know your story, Summer, but I know what it’s like to crave attention,” he stated softly and reached to gently tug on the wayward lock of her hair.
Summer didn’t give any thought to what she did next; she just reacted with the impulsivity that was one of her greatest faults. She half-rolled out of her chair and hugged Isaac tightly. “I don’t want you to leave,” she whispered.
Summer smiled, eyes soft, and leaned over to lay her cheek against his arm. “I think I can take care of myself, but thank you anyway. I’m not sure how you would protect me from myself.”
He stilled but never flinched, smiling softly down at her. “I can try. Believe me when I say I’ve had a lot of practice, okay? Just don’t push me away yet.”
“I’m only doing it so I don’t do something stupid,” she protested quietly. “I get attached to people awfully quickly and I don’t want you to think I’m clingy or anything.” She looped a falling strand of hair back behind her ear with her free hand.
She wanted to point out that his experience was limited, that there were so many more people out there worthy of his trust. “I won’t let anyone else hurt you on purpose,” she said instead, surprising herself.
“Thank you, and I’ll do the same for you, okay?” Isaac stated without any hesitation whatsoever, clearly reluctant to let go of her hand until she asked him to. He craved the comfort and would thus enjoy it whilst he could.
Summer smiled, eyes soft, and leaned over to lay her cheek against his arm. “I think I can take care of myself, but thank you anyway. I’m not sure how you would protect me from myself.”
“Most people aren’t really trying to hurt others; they’re just thoughtless and don’t pay attention.” Not that that helped the person who had gotten hurt, but motive did matter. Summer ran her thumb gently along his hand, stroking his knuckles. “It’ll be okay.”
“Not in my experience,” he whispered in a near haunting tone, recalling his father and then the hunters who hurt his kind. Relaxing completely at her soothing touch, he smiled and cocked his head to the side. “I know.”
She wanted to point out that his experience was limited, that there were so many more people out there worthy of his trust. “I won’t let anyone else hurt you on purpose,” she said instead, surprising herself.
She didn’t try to clarify, just concentrated on keeping her heart from beating out of her chest with his nerves. She hoped she didn’t go into him; that would be awkward and hard to explain. One day, she vowed in the back of her mind, she would learn to control that too. She…
“Most people aren’t really trying to hurt others; they’re just thoughtless and don’t pay attention.” Not that that helped the person who had gotten hurt, but motive did matter. Summer ran her thumb gently along his hand, stroking his knuckles. “It’ll be okay.”