Clark gasped at the words that echoed in both past and present and let himself sink into Daniel’s embrace. He lost track of his body, the room, and time. Talking about Brian and confessing so much felt like removing old, rusted daggers from his insides. Each removal was a relief, but each ached and left him bleeding.
After long moments, the tears stopped and dry sobs made Clark shake. He didn’t fight them, didn’t have the strength, and he let Daniel hold him together. Finally Clark could breathe, and it didn’t burn. He sighed, trembled, and the tension drained out of every muscle. Slowly, he came back to himself, opening his eyes and blinking. Clark had no idea how much time had passed; it felt like several forevers. With a soft sigh, he gently rubbed Daniel’s back.
Daniel: his smell, wa
