Calloused fingers incessantly tense and ease against her hip, gradually pulling Josephine from sleep, and she blinks away the fading images of her dream, disoriented. Cassandra presses herself flush against her back, choking out a tortured moan into her hair, and Josephine startles fully awake. She rolls over and takes in Cassandra's strained face, traces the furrows of her temple, feels chilled sweat under her fingertips.
"Cassandra," Josephine sweeps damp locks from her brow. Cassandra's eyes snap open, unfocused and fearful, and her chest heaves with fast, shallow breaths. Her fingers seize Josephine's wrist. "Cassandra. Come back to me."
Cassandra blinks, her face softening into unguarded adoration as her eyes clear, and Josephine's heart aches. "Josephine." She abruptly releases Josephine's wrist, wrenching her hand to her chest as if burnt, and looks away. "I hurt you."
Josephine shakes her head and curls her hand over Cassandra's fist, feels it quiver. "No." She kisses her forehead, her cheeks, her lips, coaxes her fist open and threads their fingers together. "Never." Cassandra brings Josephine's hand to her trembling lips and reverently brushes kisses against each knuckle, then her wrist. Josephine shifts until they are pressed together, their intertwined hands between them. "Never."