Fics like The edge of a knife

“Always so leaky,” I tease him, good-naturedly, and he lets out a wet chuckle. His smile remains after it; I could spend my entire life cataloguing the minuscule differences in all of his smiles, and what those differences mean, and it wouldn’t be long enough to discover all of them. I used to find the expression unsettling, the way he bared his teeth at me— The knowledge that I used to do such a thing sits in the back of my mind like an ancient relic. I cannot understand why I ever felt that way. I just know I did. “It looks great, buddy,” he says, his voice a soft, wavering thing. Much like in my imagination once more, he bends down on his knees. “Come here.” I don’t need a second invitation. I throw myself in his arms with as much enthusiasm as I dare to use without risking hurting him. I’m fully aware of how much heavier and stronger than him I am. How easy it would be, for me, to shred through his soft, defenseless body as if he is no more than a feeble little prey. I do not. I never will. I’m always careful, and always will be. I already hurt him once, I can see the sign of it on his arm, like a brand, and one time is already more than I am willing to accept.

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