Sight is difficult. I trust him with this, trust him with my vulnerability as I trust no other. It is all the sweeter as he also comes undone, also sinks further into vulnerability.

I did not understand strength in vulnerability, before him.

It was difficult enough to understand fighting alongside others. And yet, when he first appeared as ShinkenGold... when he first joined us, fighting as a group... That day, the two of us fought together as though we had been working as one for years.

He slides fingers through my hair, touches his forehead to mine. I force my eyes to focus as the need builds, the need for both release and for him.

He has greater coherency than I would have expected. I must work on that.

However, his words are important. I let him see the sadness in my eyes, the regret, then I nod as I once more roll my hips. "I will not, my heart."

If it can be avoided. And that is the heartache of promises such as these, but if promises were easy there would be no point in the making.