Her eyes were shut, so she couldn't see the darkness that surrounded them. She only knew warmth and the sound of her own panicked breaths.
"Shh, shh." His voice was less than a whisper. It was barely anything at all. Had his lips been not brushing her ear with every movement, had she not been able to feel the rumbling in his throat with each exhalation, she might not have made the words out at all.
The stomping footsteps came ever-nearer.
The maniacal voice shattered the stillness. "I know you're here somewhere!" it cried.
She felt tears overwhelm her throat once again. "I'm scared," she whispered.
"Stay close. As long as you're close, he can't see either of us." His voice was warm, full of promises, not panic. "Claire. I won't let anyone hurt you."
She was only able to calm her breathing when his lips found her forehead, pressing a long, reassuring kiss into her skin. Another touched her cheekbone, another her jaw. And Claire found that she was, instead, holding her breath.
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"Shh, shh." His voice was less than a whisper. It was barely anything at all. Had his lips been not brushing her ear with every movement, had she not been able to feel the rumbling in his throat with each exhalation, she might not have made the words out at all.
The stomping footsteps came ever-nearer.
The maniacal voice shattered the stillness. "I know you're here somewhere!" it cried.
She felt tears overwhelm her throat once again. "I'm scared," she whispered.
"Stay close. As long as you're close, he can't see either of us." His voice was warm, full of promises, not panic. "Claire. I won't let anyone hurt you."
She was only able to calm her breathing when his lips found her forehead, pressing a long, reassuring kiss into her skin. Another touched her cheekbone, another her jaw. And Claire found that she was, instead, holding her breath.