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"You love me, right?"
The question brought Paul back to the situation at hand, locking tired eyes onto his lover.
"Yes, of course I do.."
He mumbled, pulling Booker closer to his chest.
"Why do you ask? Is something wrong?" He pressed, earning a soft whine from the other.
"...no, just wanted to make sure."
"Booker."
"mm'just. I don't feel like I'm...good enough for you? I dunno, its stupid."
Booker tried to shut down the conversation, he hated worrying Paul. He always felt like he was too much to handle sometimes, he was too overdramatic, why did he even say that in the first place?? He's just looking for attention at this point-
"Its not stupid." Paul said, and Booker's head snapped upward.
"Do you wanna tell me why you feel like that?" He asked sweetly, and of course Booker caved in. He knew that Paul wouldn't be mad at him, and the fact left a bittersweet taste in his mouth and a burning in his eyes.
"you just..i feel like you do too much for me. everytime i feel like..this or when i relapse you always are there."
Booker said softly, looking up at Paul, who looked back with attentive eyes. He took this as a sign to continue.
"an' don't get me wrong, i appreciate it i really do, and i try to do the same. but what if theres stuff going on that i dunno about? what if you're struggling and i don't see it?"
Booker curled closer to Paul's chest, hot tears building up along his eyelids. Paul drew him in.
"I don' wanna lose you, Paul. I really don't. You can see stuff is going on and I'm worried i dont."
Booker just barely said that last part, as his throat started to close up on itself.
"I'd tell you if something was wrong."
"What if you didn't?"
Silence. Then, the soft press of lips to hair.
"I understand how you feel, Book, I really do. But I promise you, you can trust me to come to you. The last thing I'd ever wanna do is hurt you like that..."
Booker wailed.
"I don' wannaa hur' you either...!!"
He babbled, lip quivering. His face was wet now.
"I know you don't. Promise me this, 'kay? If anything is wrong, we'll tell eachother." Paul proposed, and Booker nodded.
"Okay, I promise." He yipped. Paul gave a relieved sigh.
"I promise, too." He said, lifting one hand in a pledge. Booker giggled.
"Love you, silly."
"I love you, too."