So Much It Hurts

- Damon White:

The credits of the movie faded out, casting the room into a dim, quiet haze as the movie ended.

We sat there for a moment, the silence settling around us, thick with a tension that felt both familiar and new.

Nikolai didn't move, just stared blankly at the screen, his face softened by the dim glow.

His expression held a quiet vulnerability, an openness that made me want to reach out and hold him in a way I couldn't fully describe.

Almost without thinking, I leaned in a bit closer, testing the boundaries between us again, and he turned his gaze toward me.

There was no resistance in his eyes, just a calm acceptance that felt rare these days.

Taking it as permission, I closed the gap, letting my lips brush against his in a tentative, almost questioning kiss.

And when he didn't pull away—when he let out a small, unsteady breath—I deepened it, feeling the familiar warmth of him melt under my touch.