“I’m being serious…” I protested.
“It’s the only answer I have right now,” he replied with a shrug. “Look, I know this is scary. Trust me, I’m terrified too. But running from each other isn’t going to make it better.”
I knew he was right. Hiding in the library, avoiding him at every turn, building a pillow fortress between us at night… none of it was solving anything. It was just making us both miserable.
“Okay,” I said finally, taking a deep breath. “No more avoiding. But we need to be careful. I can’t risk another incident.”
Silver’s face lit up with a smile that made my stomach flip. “I’ll do my best.”
He shifted on the bed, moving closer but still not touching me. The space between us felt charged, electric with possibility and restraint.
“Can we at least try something small?” he asked. “Just to see if the bracers work?”
I swallowed hard, my heart hammering in my chest. “Like what?”
“Like this,” he said, slowly extending his hand palm up between us. “Just... hold my hand. That’s it. Nothing more.”
I stared at his offered hand, at the purple skin and elegant fingers. It seemed like such a simple thing, but it felt monumental. My shadows, even dampened by the bracers, stirred restlessly around my ankles, eager to reach for him.
“Ash,” Silver said softly. “I promise, if anything feels wrong, we’ll stop immediately. I just… I feel like if I don’t touch you, I’m going to go insane.”
I nodded slowly. “I feel the same way.”
“Then take my hand.”
I reached out slowly, my hand trembling slightly as it moved toward his. The bracers felt heavier than ever, like they were weighing down my entire arm. My shadows coiled tighter around my ankles, as if bracing themselves for what was about to happen.
The moment our palms touched, that familiar electric current shot through me. It was stronger than I expected, even with the bracers dampening my magic. The sensation raced up my arm, spreading across my chest and making my breath catch.
Silver’s fingers curled around mine, warm and solid. I watched his face carefully, searching for any sign of discomfort or alarm. Instead, his eyes fluttered closed and he let out a soft sigh that sounded almost like relief.
“Okay?” he asked, opening his eyes to meet mine.
“Yeah,” I breathed. “The bracers are holding.”
My shadows stirred more actively now, reaching toward him but not breaking free the way they had before. The obsidian bands around my wrists grew warm, containing the surge of magic that wanted to respond to Silver’s touch.
“This feels good,” Silver murmured, his thumb tracing small circles on the back of my hand. “I’ve been dying to touch you again.”
I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips. “Me too.”
We sat there for a moment, just holding hands like teenagers on a first date. It should have felt silly, but instead it felt profound. Like we were rebuilding something that had been broken.
“Can I try something else?” Silver asked, his voice low and careful.
My heart rate picked up. “What?”
“Just...” He shifted closer on the bed, closing some of the distance between us. “Can I put my arm around you? Nothing more than that.”
I nodded, not trusting my voice. Silver slowly lifted his free arm and draped it around my shoulders, pulling me gently against his side. The contact sent another surge of electricity through me, but the bracers held firm, containing my magic even as my shadows danced eagerly around us.
I let myself relax into him, resting my head against his shoulder. He was warm and solid, and being this close to him felt like coming home. My entire body seemed to settle in a way it hadn’t in days.
“This is nice,” I admitted quietly.
“Yeah,” Silver agreed, his fingers playing with the hair at the nape of my neck. “This is what I’ve been missing.”
We stayed like that for a while, neither of us speaking. I could hear his heartbeat where my ear pressed against his chest, steady and strong. My own heart gradually slowed to match its rhythm.
