But people have problems that are worse than mine
I don't want you to think I'm complaining all the time
And I wish that everyone would go and shut their mouths
I'm not strong enough to deal with it
They worked in a vicious cycle together more often than not. He would hurt and shut her out, she would hurt too and shut him out. They'd struggle alone, and then together, guilt mapping out their next actions. Either they fought and made up, or talked until they could take the seriousness no longer. Either option ended with them tumbling into bed.
Intense. If he could describe his relationship with Alexis in one word, it was intense. That was part of the allure, he felt. She was strong enough to keep him in line when he felt especially irritable. Her passion for him made him feel loved in an almost overwhelming sense.
He knew she had her problems. Most of which he knew it would take her years to talk to him about, if ever. She bottled so much up. Perhaps even more than him. He wanted to protect her. To take away the pain he knew she felt, to cocoon her in his arms and make her feel that even if the rest of the world brought her to her knees, she could have a sanctuary in his arms.
She was as stubborn as him. He knew that she had the mentality that if she didn't think of her problems, convincing herself that they could be worse, that it couldn't touch her. But he knew, from experience, that that was the best way to cause yourself to break. To become so lost that nothing would bring you solace apart from yourself, and your own state of mind.
He needed to make sure she didn't fall apart. He had to keep her together, in one piece, no matter what the cost to himself.
Which is why he had to put his own fears aside to propose they spend an eternity together. Because giving himself till the end of their lives to keep her together, gave him more than enough time to help heal her. Regardless of how strong she felt she was, he would be her strength.
