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He whirls on me, chest heaving, lip curled up in a snarl. He shoves me in the chest, so I shove him back. Then he splashes water at me, so I splash him back right in the face.
A frustrated scream bubbles up from deep within his chest and I huff under my breath. “You’re acting like a child,” I grouse, rubbing my eyes.
“Fuck you!” he grits out, splashing me again.
“Jesus, stop.” I go to grab his arm, and he bats me away. Then, before I can so much as catch my bearings, his other hand comes up, slapping me across the face.
My head wrenches to the side, my skin tingling where his palm made contact with my cheek. It wasn’t a hard hit—more startling than anything.
Blinking hard a couple times, I turn my gaze to cut him a searing look. Now I’m getting really pissed off.
He goes to slap me again, but this time I’m ready for it. I grab his wrist, twisting his arm, and put myself behind him so I can restrain him. “Enough,” I grit out right next to his ear.
I can feel the scream building in his chest, rocketing up his throat. I squeeze him around his waist, holding him to me, a frown pulling at my features.
“You’re shaking,” I murmur, concern replacing some of my anger.
His entire body trembles, practically vibrating. And the more rigid he tries to hold himself, the worse it gets. Like he’s fracturing apart from the inside out.
Frowning, I release my grip on his wrist and bring my hand to his chest, spreading my fingers wide.
His heart is fucking racing.
It’s then that his hitched breaths register. It reminds me of when I chased after him in the woods.
“Is this a panic attack?” I ask quietly.
His head gives a small, jerky shake.No.
Okay…
He chokes on what sounds like a sob. “T-tighter.”
At first, I’m not quite sure I heard him right. But then he’s clawing at my arms, not to get out of my hold, but to…keep me here…
Oh.
I don’t question it, I just fit both arms around him, and wrap him in a bear hug from behind. Holding him so tight, it’s probably got to be uncomfortable, especially seeing as it’s only been a week since the incident, and he’s gotta be sore still. But if anything, he just sort of…slumps. His head drops forward and the tension in his shoulders unfurl.
Like he can finally relax. Breathe.
Emotion thickens my throat. I don’t quite know what this is, but with each passing second that I just hold him, and feel his tremors dissipate, his pulse slowing down, his body giving up the fight…
I feel…settled.
Like something inside me is clicking into place, and I too can breathe more easily.
He’s too young for you,a now-familiar voice pipes up.One that’s been making an appearance all week, any time I found myself caving to what I want.You’re not helping matters here. You’ll just confuse him.
Clearing my throat, I ease my hold on him. He stiffens at first, his fingers flexing against my forearms, but then they slink away as he lets me pull back.
Spinning him around by the shoulders, I duck my head to meet his downturned gaze. “What’s going on? Talk to me.”
Skyler blinks rapidly, and if I’m not mistaken, it’s not just water trickling down his cheeks anymore.
“Sky,” I sigh, my voice raspy.Fuck me.
His throat bobs and he shrugs. “You…you just can’t do that, okay?” he says so quietly, I have to strain to hear him over the waves hitting the beach. “You can’t make me feel one thing, and then…and then…”
