Anon comforts Kris [4/5/20]

Warmth.

The long-haired boy beside you shifted slightly, a quiet sigh escaping his lips. The two of you lay side by side, with you behind him, your right arm lazily wrapped around his torso. You drew closer, nuzzling his neck. As you did so, you adjusted the arm around him slightly, rubbing his chest with the palm of your hand.

A moment passed, then another sigh. This one was... different. Somehow choked up. You grew concerned.

"Kris, hun? Is something wrong?"

There was no answer. Of course, this was hardly uncommon - Kris was a boy of very few words. You held still for a few seconds, just in case, then resumed cuddling him. As you nuzzled into his neck a second time, you heard sniffling.

Something was wrong.

You stopped in your tracks, then adjusted yourself to sit upright. You looked over at Kris, his eyes hidden under a fringe of long brown hair. He sniffled a few more times, trembling slightly. With a gentle "Kris, what's wrong?", you placed your hand on the side of his face, against his cheek. It was wet.

You spoke again, a little more forcefully. "Kris... please tell me what's wrong."

He took a deep breath, then whispered something, so quietly that you couldn't make it out. You told him so, and he repeated himself, voice wavering.

"...You're going to leave me."

Your eyes involuntarily widened, sickened by the mere thought. The statement caught you so off guard that you stammered your response. "K-Kris? I, I'd... I would never..."

"But you want to, don't you? Who wouldn't? I'm a freak."

You'd never heard him say anything like that before. You thought about getting mad, demanding that he tell you who told him he was such a thing. Making him take it back. Instead, you lowered yourself to him and almost instinctively wrapped yourself around him, holding him close. Your embrace was much tighter than before.

You spoke as he trembled in your arms, raising your voice as you choked back tears. "No. No! You're NOT! Do you hear me? You're NOT a freak. Not a freak. I love you."

He didn't react.

You continued.

"Kris, I mean it. I love you. I'm not going to leave. And, and... if you're a freak, then... I'm a bigger one. I'm the king of the freaks, okay? And I say that you're no freak. You're perfect."

Kris offered no response, but he seemed to be trembling a little less. He sniffled again. You continued holding him, both arms wrapped around his body - he was so warm. You gave him a gentle kiss on the back of his neck.

"I love you, Kris."

"...I love you, too."