King's lips trembled, his eyes filling again. He whispered, "Then why does it always hurt when I'm with you?"
Win froze, his breath caught in his chest. Words deserted him. Instead, he wrapped his arms around King from behind, holding him tightly as if he could shield him from the pain. "I'm sorry, King," Win murmured against his ear. "I never meant to hurt you. All I've ever wanted was to protect you… to make sure you're safe. I wanted you to feel safe with me, not scared… not pushed to run away from home."
King shuddered in his embrace. "You're too harsh with me, Win," he said softly. "You never let me do anything. You call me useless, but you're the one who never allowed me to try or taught me how to do anything."
