My arms are in the air, like she’s placing me under arrest instead of showing me affection. I don’t… I don’t remember the last time someone hugged me. Her fingertips press into the muscles along my spine and I break. I drop my arms, encircling her small frame. The second I pull her closer, she relaxes into me. As though this is normal, and not the most spectacular thing that I’ve experienced in years. My lungs expand, fighting against the tightness in my throat, and I watch her head move with the rise of my chest. Looking down on the top of her head, I imagine this is the same view I’d have if
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