（ that hair tickles, and he responds to it by rubbing his cheek against sasuke's shoulder, not willing to mobilize a hand to the task. ）
Ah, （ is the first acknowledging sound. it's pensive, considering. without even being aware of it, his right hand sketches little nonsense symbols against sasuke's side where those ribs are no longer quite so worryingly prominent as they'd been before. sasuke looks at him, unbidden and without direction, clearly trying, and it takes him fully a moment to gather himself after that. because he knows it's an effort. he knows it's excoriation. and still, the kid does it anyway — because cy's demonstrated his preference, and sasuke is doing his best to match it.
it earns him another kiss, pressed against the bridge of his nose. ） I can understand that.
（ empathy swells the way a musical crescendo cuts the air, but he exhales steady. ）
Two things. First — tell me the story when you're ready, when you want to, and not a minute before, okay? Time, place, whether you write it out or say it, whether you can look at me or not, whether you want to be touched or not — hundred percent your choice. You can change your mind later too and never tell me, that's fine — you don't owe me knowledge of you. But if you still want to, later, I'll listen. I already know it's going to be hard to say, and hard to hear.
（ every new nuance of trauma he trips over has driven that horribly home. ）
Second, let's get you cleaned up and put everything away. I can leave if you want space, or I can stay here if you want company. If you want me to stay, I'd love to just sleep with you just like this. （ a little pat against his side, indicating their entwined position. ） You can get dressed （ a little tug against that shirt, so far still rucked up under the kid's armpits. ） or I can get naked, or we can stay like this. Up to you.
no subject
Ah, （ is the first acknowledging sound. it's pensive, considering. without even being aware of it, his right hand sketches little nonsense symbols against sasuke's side where those ribs are no longer quite so worryingly prominent as they'd been before. sasuke looks at him, unbidden and without direction, clearly trying, and it takes him fully a moment to gather himself after that. because he knows it's an effort. he knows it's excoriation. and still, the kid does it anyway — because cy's demonstrated his preference, and sasuke is doing his best to match it.
it earns him another kiss, pressed against the bridge of his nose. ） I can understand that.
（ empathy swells the way a musical crescendo cuts the air, but he exhales steady. ）
Two things. First — tell me the story when you're ready, when you want to, and not a minute before, okay? Time, place, whether you write it out or say it, whether you can look at me or not, whether you want to be touched or not — hundred percent your choice. You can change your mind later too and never tell me, that's fine — you don't owe me knowledge of you. But if you still want to, later, I'll listen. I already know it's going to be hard to say, and hard to hear.
（ every new nuance of trauma he trips over has driven that horribly home. ）
Second, let's get you cleaned up and put everything away. I can leave if you want space, or I can stay here if you want company. If you want me to stay, I'd love to just sleep with you just like this. （ a little pat against his side, indicating their entwined position. ） You can get dressed （ a little tug against that shirt, so far still rucked up under the kid's armpits. ） or I can get naked, or we can stay like this. Up to you.