It was another day and it was late, and the world outside was silent, but Cole’s mind was a storm. He lay curled on his bed, gripping his pillow, trying to hold himself together as wave after wave of emotion crashed over him. The sadness was bone-deep, a grief he couldn’t name, and it left him feeling hollow and raw.

A few stray tears slipped down his cheeks, and he gasped as a familiar warmth brushed through his mind, a presence that settled around him like a comforting blanket. Jessica. Her presence filled his mind, gentle and steady, as if she could feel his pain and was reaching out to hold it with him.

Then, clear as a whisper in the quiet room, her voice sounded in his mind: “Hold on, Cole. Just hold on a little longer. I’m coming. You don’t have to do this alone.”

He choked back a sob, his breath catching as he struggled to hold back the flood of tears. He knew he didn’t have to, knew that Jessica wouldn’t judge him or ask him to be stronger than he felt capable of being. And yet, he waited, holding his emotions in check, clinging to the thin thread of strength her words had given him.

Minutes felt like hours as he lay there, curled up and trembling, fighting to keep his tears at bay. Then, he heard her soft knock, and he felt his heart ache with relief.

He opened the door, and there she stood, her eyes filled with empathy, and without a word, she wrapped her arms around him. The moment she held him, his defenses crumbled, and he broke, sinking into her shoulder as he let go of everything he’d been holding inside.

The tears came fast, spilling down his face in hot, silent streams, and he clung to her as though she were the only thing keeping him grounded. He didn’t know how long they stood there, Jessica’s arms holding him, her hand gently rubbing his back, grounding him with her presence.

Finally, he pulled away just slightly, his face flushed and streaked with tears, and as he took a shaky breath, his hands flew up to cover his face. He felt the sobs take over, wracking his body as he buried his face in his hands, overcome with the weight of everything he’d been carrying alone.

Jessica didn’t speak. She didn’t try to reassure him or fill the silence with platitudes. She simply stayed with him, silent and steady, her hand resting on his shoulder as he poured out his grief. In her quiet presence, he felt seen, felt understood, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he didn’t feel alone.

In that silence, he found a kind of release, a peace he hadn’t known he needed. And though his tears didn’t fix everything, though his struggles were far from over, he knew that as long as he had Jessica, he wouldn’t have to face them alone.

As Cole cried, the tears slipped down his cheeks in steady, silent streams, gathering at the edge of his jaw and dripping off his chin. Each tear seemed to fall in slow motion, hitting his shirt or the floor in a quiet, rhythmic beat that matched the pulsing ache in his chest. His shoulders shook with every breath he tried to hold back, but the tears wouldn’t stop. They just kept coming, each one a part of the pain he’d carried for so long, spilling out with a rawness he couldn’t hide.

After a while, he lifted his head slightly, his eyes red-rimmed and glassy, and looked at Jessica through his blurred vision. Jessica’s eyes met his, wide and soft, a calm that enveloped his storm. He saw her understanding there, her empathy so deep it seemed to wrap around his pain, absorbing it as if it were her own. And as he looked at her, a pang of sorrow shot through him—sorrow that went beyond his own grief. It was for her, for the way he knew she could feel everything he was feeling. It was as if his emotions flowed through their link, spilling over to burden her heart along with his. And somehow, that knowledge made his pain even sharper, knowing that she bore his grief too.

“I’m so sorry,” he managed, his voice trembling as another tear slipped down his cheek. The weight of knowing she was sharing his pain added another layer to his grief, twisting it into something heavier, deeper. He couldn’t hide from her, couldn’t spare her the burden, and that thought filled him with an ache that seemed bottomless.

But even as his guilt grew, Jessica held his gaze, her eyes steady and unwavering, as if silently telling him that his sorrow, his pain, was worth carrying. She would shoulder it with him, no matter the weight, because he mattered that much to her.

In that moment, his tears fell freely, unrestrained. He felt them trailing down, tracing every raw edge of his sorrow, marking the depth of everything he couldn’t put into words. And though he couldn’t ease the pain of knowing she felt it too, he realized that in her presence, in her understanding gaze, there was a kind of healing he hadn’t known he needed.

As they stood there, the silence thick and heavy around them, Jessica finally broke it. She reached up, gently brushing a few damp strands of hair from his forehead, her fingertips soft and comforting against his skin. Her eyes, warm and filled with a depth of compassion he couldn’t fathom, met his.

“Cole,” she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath, “I love you.”

The words hit him like a wave, sweeping through him with a force that left him trembling. He felt a new rush of tears prick his eyes, spilling over before he could stop them. He’d been told those words before, but from Jessica, they reached a place so buried he hadn’t even known it existed. Her love for him felt like a lifeline, like a shelter he didn’t think he deserved, and yet here she was, offering it without hesitation, without asking for anything in return.

The moment she said it, his heart broke all over again. He let out a quiet, shuddering breath, and his tears fell faster, flowing with an intensity he hadn’t thought possible. Jessica lifted her hand and gently brushed a tear from his cheek, her thumb warm against his skin, but the gesture only made the ache in his chest deepen. Her kindness, her unwavering love—it filled him with a sadness so deep, so profound, that it was almost overwhelming.

Her love reminded him of every lonely night he’d spent feeling like he was drowning, of every silent plea for someone to see him, to understand him. And now, here she was, showing him that his pain mattered, that he mattered. But instead of filling him with relief, her love seemed to amplify the sorrow inside him, echoing against the hollow spaces within him, intensifying the grief that had settled so deeply in his bones.

With every gentle touch, every soft sweep of her hand across his cheek, he felt his walls crumble, and his tears came harder, his sobs filling the room. Jessica stayed with him, her arms around him as his grief poured out, steady and patient, her hands softly cradling his face as he wept. As he cried, he felt the weight inside him shift, just a little.

Through the haze of his tears, Cole looked at Jessica, her face close to his, her eyes full of love and understanding that took his breath away. His heart ached with an intensity that blurred the lines between sorrow and gratitude, pain and comfort. He wasn’t sure what he felt—only that her presence was the one steady thing in a world that felt like it was constantly slipping away from him.

His hands trembled as he lifted them, gently cupping her face, his fingertips brushing against her skin. For a moment, he just looked at her, searching her eyes as if trying to find the words he couldn’t speak, the gratitude and the love that had lodged themselves deep inside his chest, too tangled with his sorrow to come out clearly.

And then, without thinking, he leaned in, pressing his lips softly to hers.

It was a quiet, tender kiss, filled with all the words he didn’t know how to say. His tears continued to fall, mingling with the kiss, wet and warm against both their faces. The kiss wasn’t an escape from his sadness, nor did it lessen the pain he felt, but it was a release, a way of grounding himself in the present, in the one person who’d seen him at his most vulnerable and stayed.

Jessica’s hand rested lightly on the back of his neck, her fingers threading gently through his hair, anchoring him in a way that felt impossibly comforting. She kissed him back softly, not rushing, not asking for anything more than he was ready to give. Her acceptance, her love, surrounded him, filling every broken piece of him with a warmth he didn’t know he’d been longing for.

As he pulled away, his tears fell harder, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he pressed his forehead against hers, his eyes squeezed shut. He felt the weight of everything he’d been carrying press down on him again, made sharper by the realization of how deeply she cared for him. And somehow, that realization hurt more than anything else.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion, his forehead still resting against hers.

But Jessica only shook her head slightly, her hands cupping his face, her thumbs brushing away the tears as they fell. She didn’t say anything, didn’t argue or try to convince him otherwise. Instead, she just held him, her touch gentle, her presence steady, allowing him to feel what he needed to feel, to let his sadness flow freely without shame or judgment.

Cole caught Jessica’s gaze fixed on him, her eyes wide and shimmering with empathy. The weight of his vulnerability felt even more intense under her scrutiny, yet he found a strange comfort in it. Wiping his cheeks with trembling hands, he asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Jessica’s voice was soft yet firm as she replied, “Because there’s beauty in your tears, Cole. Each one tells a story—a story of pain, yes, but also of love.” She leaned in slightly, her expression earnest. “Every tear you cry is filled with emotion, and I can feel that love radiating from them. It’s like… like a part of your heart is being laid bare.”

As she spoke, Cole’s tears continued to flow, cascading down his face in a rhythm that matched the cadence of her words. One particularly large tear formed at the outer corner of his right eye, heavy and glistening as it rolled down his cheek, catching the light like a jewel. It was thick, and as it traveled, it dripped slowly off his chin, falling silently onto his shirt, where it left a tiny, wet mark.

“Your pain isn’t something to be ashamed of,” Jessica continued, her eyes locked onto his. “It’s part of who you are. Each tear you shed reminds me of how deeply you feel, how deeply you love. And with every tear that falls, I find myself falling more in love with you.”

Another tear, smaller yet equally expressive, slipped from the inner corner of his left eye, cascading down in a quick, fluid motion. It carved a glistening line down the side of his nose, lingering for just a moment before it dropped onto his lips. He tasted the saltiness, a reminder of the raw emotion spilling from him, feeling both vulnerable and exposed. The tears felt relentless, as if his heart was giving a final push to release everything that had been pent up for so long.

“I see the strength in your tears, Cole,” Jessica said, her voice steady and warm. “They reflect your journey, your struggles, and they show me how much you care—how deeply you love not just me, but the world around you.”

Cole felt another wave of tears wash over him, one forming just below his left eye, larger and heavier than the others. This tear rolled down, slowly at first, as if it were contemplating its purpose. It followed the contour of his cheekbone, leaving a shimmering path behind, before it plummeted off his chin, pooling at his collarbone and drenching the fabric.

“Each time I see you cry, it makes me realize how genuine you are, how you’re willing to embrace your emotions even when it’s difficult,” she continued, her voice laced with affection. “It makes you so real, so human. And it deepens my love for you every single time.”

A cascade of smaller tears then broke free, rushing down his face in a flurry, each one distinct but united in their message. One darted from the outer edge of his left eye, racing down his cheek and splattering against the floor. Another, thinner and quicker, shot down the bridge of his nose, pooling momentarily before dripping off his lip and adding to the growing collection on his shirt.

“I feel every tear you shed, Cole,” Jessica said, her gaze unwavering. “It’s like a connection between us—your pain resonates with me, and it makes me want to be there for you even more. I want to share your burdens and celebrate your victories.”

With each word she spoke, Cole’s tears flowed with more fervor, his heart swelling as her understanding wrapped around him like a warm blanket. A particularly large tear formed in the inner corner of his right eye, gaining weight as it began its descent. It moved slowly, almost deliberately, tracing a path down his cheek before dropping from his chin with a soft sound, disappearing into the fabric of his shirt.

“I never thought I could be so loved,” he managed to whisper, overwhelmed by the depth of his emotions. “I didn’t know I could feel this way.”

A fresh wave of tears spilled from his eyes, each drop a release of everything he had kept bottled inside. They streamed down his face in a relentless flow, cascading like a gentle waterfall. Some were large and heavy, while others were small and swift, creating a symphony of droplets that dripped onto his shirt and pooled at his collarbone.

As Cole continued to cry, the tears flowed freely, a cathartic release of pent-up emotion that felt both overwhelming and liberating. He found himself caught in the depth of Jessica’s gaze, her eyes filled with an understanding that made him feel seen in a way he had never experienced before. Each tear that spilled over his cheeks felt like a thread weaving their hearts together, connecting their souls in a tapestry of shared vulnerability.

“I don’t know how to express what I feel,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper as he tried to regain his composure. “It’s like I’m drowning in my own sadness, yet your words make me feel like I’m not alone.”

Jessica shifted closer, her warmth enveloping him. “You don’t have to have all the answers, Cole. Just being here, allowing yourself to feel, is enough. I’m right here with you. You can let it all out.”

He inhaled sharply, feeling the weight of her encouragement. Another tear formed, a heavy bead that hung from the edge of his eyelid before breaking free. It fell slowly, almost as if it wanted to savor the moment, trailing down the outer curve of his left eye and creating a silvery line against his skin. It gathered speed, leaving a glistening path behind, before it plopped onto his collarbone, joining the rest in a tiny puddle.

As the tears continued to cascade, he began to notice how they felt different this time. No longer just tears of pain, they carried a hint of something brighter—an unexpected joy mingled with sorrow. With each droplet that escaped, he felt lighter, as if Jessica’s words were lifting a burden he had been unaware he was carrying.

“Cole,” Jessica said softly, her hand reaching out to cup his face gently. “Your tears tell a story of love, of vulnerability. They reflect the depth of your heart, and it’s beautiful. It’s okay to feel everything you’re feeling.”

He looked into her eyes, the warmth of her gaze grounding him. “But what if my sadness overwhelms you?” he asked, a flicker of concern crossing his mind. “I don’t want to burden you with my pain.”

Her thumb brushed gently against his cheek, wiping away the remnants of his tears. “You could never be a burden to me. Your pain is part of you, and sharing it only makes our bond stronger. I want to know all of you—the good, the bad, the beautiful, and the painful.”

Cole felt a fresh wave of tears surge forward, heavier than before. They rolled down his cheeks in thick, glistening streams, each one carrying away a fragment of his sorrow. The tears dripped steadily, pooling in the hollow of his throat and soaking the fabric of his shirt. He pressed his hand against his mouth, trying to suppress the sound of his sobs, but it was futile; the emotion surged forward, forcing its way out.

As he cried, he became aware of the beauty of the moment—the connection they shared, the way her presence made the darkness feel a little less suffocating. Each tear that fell felt like a step toward healing, a gentle reminder that he didn’t have to face his struggles alone.

The tears poured down his face, some dripping from the bridge of his nose, pooling at the base of his throat, while others cascaded down his cheeks, following the contours of his jaw. With every drop, Cole felt a mixture of sadness and relief, each tear carrying away a piece of his pain and replacing it with a sense of clarity.

He lifted his gaze to meet hers, the tears still flowing freely. “Thank you for being here,” he said, his voice shaky but sincere. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

As Cole gradually began to calm, the tears that had once flowed so freely now slowed to a trickle, leaving behind damp streaks glistening on his skin. He sat still, allowing the weight of the moment to settle around them like a comforting embrace, his chest rising and falling slowly as he regained his composure. The warmth of Jessica's body next to him felt like a lifeline, a reminder that he was no longer alone in his pain.

After a few minutes, he noticed Jessica's gaze shift from his eyes to the streaks of tears that marred his cheeks. It was as if she couldn’t bear to see the remnants of his sorrow lingering on his skin. With gentle determination, she reached up, her thumb poised delicately over the path of tears that cascaded down his face.

“Hold still,” she murmured softly, her voice tender and filled with affection.

As she began to wipe away each tear, Cole felt a shiver of vulnerability wash over him. Jessica's touch was gentle but firm, and he couldn’t help but close his eyes for a moment, savoring the warmth of her presence as she tended to him. He felt a mixture of embarrassment and gratitude flood his senses, his cheeks flushing as her thumb glided over the damp trails left behind by his tears.

The first tear she wiped was a large one, still fresh and glistening. It had fallen from the outer corner of his right eye, leaving a silvery streak against his cheekbone. As her thumb brushed over it, he felt the softness of her skin against his, a stark contrast to the sharp pain he had been feeling moments before. He could see her expression—serious yet compassionate—as she concentrated on the task, her brow slightly furrowed in concentration.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked, his voice soft and a little shaky, still resonating with the echoes of his earlier cries.

“Because I want you to see how beautiful you are, even in your pain,” she replied, her voice soothing. “Each of these tears is a testament to your strength. You deserve to feel cherished.”

With each swipe of her thumb, she wiped away the remnants of his sorrow, leaving behind a clean path of skin that gleamed in the dim light. Another tear, smaller and more delicate, had dribbled down the side of his nose, pooling at the corner of his mouth. Jessica’s thumb moved to that spot next, gently brushing it away and causing Cole to shudder slightly at the unexpected sensation. He opened his eyes to watch her, feeling a warmth spreading in his chest, the embarrassment of being vulnerable mingling with the tenderness of the moment.

As she continued her ministrations, he noticed her eyes flickering between his face and her hands, the sincerity in her gaze making his heart race. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to hide any part of yourself from me,” she said softly, her voice a whisper filled with sincerity. “You can be yourself, all of yourself, and I will always be here.”

Cole’s expression shifted as he absorbed her words. The weight of his earlier sadness seemed to lift, replaced by a sense of warmth and safety. He watched her, captivated by the care she took in wiping each tear from his skin, the way her thumb traced the contours of his face like she was memorizing every detail. He felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude, mixed with a new sense of hope that he hadn’t known he could feel.

Another tear had found its way down his left cheek, and Jessica brushed it away, her thumb lingering for a moment as if to soothe the place where it had been. Cole couldn’t help but smile softly at her, the corners of his lips turning up despite the remnants of his tears.

“Thank you,” he whispered, his voice steadier now. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

Jessica smiled back, her eyes sparkling with affection. “I think I do. I feel it in my heart. You’re beautiful, you know that?”

With that, he leaned in closer, feeling the distance between them dissolve as their hearts intertwined in that quiet moment, a promise unspoken lingering in the air—a promise that no matter the storm, they would weather it together.

Last edited by lovelybones (October 29, 2024 3:41 am)

As they lay there, the air thick with unspoken feelings, Jessica turned to Cole, her heart heavy with compassion. She could see the way his eyes shimmered, the weight of his unspilled tears still evident. “Cole,” she began softly, drawing closer to him, “I noticed you holding back the tears all night.”

He turned his head slightly, his expression a mixture of surprise and vulnerability. “I didn’t want to burden you with my sadness,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

But Jessica pressed on, her gaze unwavering. “You’re not a burden to me, you know that. I saw each tear that fell. The first one slipped down your cheek when you laughed at the photo of us at the carnival. It caught the light just right, glistening before it hit your chin. And then there was the one that fell when you talked about your dreams. It traced a path down your inner cheek, like it was carrying all the weight of your hopes.”

Cole’s breath hitched, and he glanced away, embarrassment creeping in. “I don’t want to spend the night crying,” he murmured, a mix of resolve and despair in his voice.

“But you don’t have to hide it from me,” Jessica insisted gently, reaching out to cup his face in her hand, her thumb brushing against the dampness on his cheek.

He felt the warmth of her hand against his skin, and despite the heaviness in his heart, he found solace in her touch. Yet, the idea of breaking down again loomed large, a battle between his desire to be strong and the ache that had been building within him.

But as he looked into her eyes, he felt the floodgates begin to crack. “I don’t want to cry anymore,” he confessed, his voice shaking slightly. “I thought tonight would be different.”

Jessica’s heart ached for him, and she leaned closer. “It doesn’t have to be different. You can let it out. Let’s just be here together, okay?”

In that moment, Cole felt the weight of her words wash over him like a wave, crashing through his defenses. He held her gaze, and the dam he had been holding back for so long finally broke. Tears began to stream down his face, one after another, each carrying with it a piece of his soul.

“I’m sorry,” he choked out between sobs, covering his mouth with his hand as if trying to stifle the cries, but the tears kept falling. The first one was thick, rolling down from the corner of his eye and cutting a path through the remnants of his earlier composure, landing on the blanket. A second followed, this one smaller, yet it clung to his lashes before dropping onto his nose, and then splattering against the floor.

Jessica watched, her heart breaking a little more with each tear that fell. “Cole, please don’t apologize,” she whispered. “Just let it out.”

He shook his head, tears pouring freely now, pooling in the corners of his mouth and streaming down the sides of his face. His breath hitched as he fought to regain control, but the deeper he tried to suppress the flood, the harder it became. More tears fell, each one glistening as they trickled down the contours of his face—their size varying from large drops that fell with a quiet splash to thinner streams that ran like rivers, cascading down his neck and soaking into the fabric of his shirt.

As the tears continued to fall, Cole found himself letting go in ways he hadn’t anticipated. With each sob, he felt the weight lift just a little, the catharsis allowing him to breathe more deeply, albeit still unevenly. The tears streamed, cascading down his face in a relentless torrent, pooling in his palms when he covered his mouth, yet there was a part of him that felt lighter, even as he wept.

Jessica remained close, her presence a calming force. She didn't speak again, allowing him to release everything he had been holding inside. Each sob that escaped him was a step further into a world of vulnerability, and he felt the rawness of his emotions spill over like the tears that now drenched his cheeks.

“I love you,” he murmured between sobs, the admission hanging in the air, heavy and profound. It was a mix of love and pain, a confession that resonated deeply within him.