[Caught within the midst of a flurry of thoughts, one stands out so starkly that it stuns him. Time and again, Komaeda is amazed by how Atem doesn't hesitate. Even if something like this wouldn't have happened were it not for the guy being a demon, he still does everything with such intention, and it's why Komaeda can feel the way his chest grows tighter, simply by being pulled into those arms.
The hold is warm, comforting, like he could easily melt into it. Most of all, it immediately feels safe, to be contained within Atem's arms.]
The counting game...
[Komaeda recalls, as he wraps his arms around Atem's middle and buries his face into space between his neck and shoulder. He can do that, he thinks. He pulls his head up from where it's settled, just enough to look around and count five things.]
I can see the grass... the trees, and the sky. There's a playground, and the city beyond it...
[And then it's four things he can hear, right...? Komaeda inhales a deep breath, closes his eyes, and continues.]
I can hear the leaves rustling, and the sound of cars honking in the distance... The birds chirping in the trees, and... my own heartbeat.
[Three things he feels. He hugs is a bit tighter, but not uncomfortably so, and buries his face into Atem's neck again.]
I can feel you, and... I can feel the wind on my skin, and air filling my lungs...
[Two smells. Another deep breath.]
...You smell like fire, or maybe it's more like... the smell of something burning. [He gives a short huff of a laugh.] And the wet-dewy-grass smell.
[One thing he can taste... Komaeda's mind goes somewhere it shouldn't, and immediately he feels his stomach twist with nervous excitement.
It's likely a sign that he's calm enough for now, so he just presses his face a bit more into Atem's shoulder, stays there for what feels like minutes, before speaking again.]
I think we can stop there... I feel... [—like his heart will leap out of his throat, but—] better. I think.
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The hold is warm, comforting, like he could easily melt into it. Most of all, it immediately feels safe, to be contained within Atem's arms.]
The counting game...
[Komaeda recalls, as he wraps his arms around Atem's middle and buries his face into space between his neck and shoulder. He can do that, he thinks. He pulls his head up from where it's settled, just enough to look around and count five things.]
I can see the grass... the trees, and the sky. There's a playground, and the city beyond it...
[And then it's four things he can hear, right...? Komaeda inhales a deep breath, closes his eyes, and continues.]
I can hear the leaves rustling, and the sound of cars honking in the distance... The birds chirping in the trees, and... my own heartbeat.
[Three things he feels. He hugs is a bit tighter, but not uncomfortably so, and buries his face into Atem's neck again.]
I can feel you, and... I can feel the wind on my skin, and air filling my lungs...
[Two smells. Another deep breath.]
...You smell like fire, or maybe it's more like... the smell of something burning. [He gives a short huff of a laugh.] And the wet-dewy-grass smell.
[One thing he can taste... Komaeda's mind goes somewhere it shouldn't, and immediately he feels his stomach twist with nervous excitement.
It's likely a sign that he's calm enough for now, so he just presses his face a bit more into Atem's shoulder, stays there for what feels like minutes, before speaking again.]
I think we can stop there... I feel... [—like his heart will leap out of his throat, but—] better. I think.