Drabble 28: Promise.
Henry's promised her a lot of things over the years.
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"I'll be perfect for you. You just have to…" The awkward, stoned teen tries to explain to Nat, who is currently only his beautiful, brainy, friend-who-happens-to-have-boobs. "Let me try."
"I…" She's still in shock at the whole ordeal. She likes spending time with Henry. She likes having someone to practice with and throw grapes at during lunch and go to concerts with. He's her go-to partner for classwork, he lets her come over when she wants to get away, and sometimes he rubs her shoulders when she complains of a sore neck. She's surprising herself when the word tumbles out on it's own, "Yeah." She surprises herself even more when she goes in to kiss him.
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"I'll be here for you." He soothes, stroking her cheek and saying the words with an effortless truth. She panics.
"Y-you say that right here, but then… give it a year! Or ten years, our whole fucking lives.. what if we get married? I'm c-crazy! You'll find me bleeding out in the b-bathtub and-"
"I promised I'd be perfect for you, right?" He cups her cheeks, cutting her off, "I don't break promises. So what if you go crazy? Crazy is perfect. Fucked-up is perfect. You're perfect."
"Y-yeah?" Natalie hiccups, giving him a tiny smile.
"Yeah." He grins, kissing her gently before pulling away, grinning, "Now, may I have this dance?"
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"I promise, you'll like it!" He grins, tugging her by her hand to the line. Nat is terrified of roller coasters and she didn't really plan on facing that fear now.
"No. Do you know how easily you can die riding one of those?" She glares at him, pulling back her arm, "I'm not going."
"Please?" He pouts and she's tempted to laugh.
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Pretty please with bananas and whipped cream and almonds on top?"
"What the fuck?"
"…did it work?"
"Well, I applaud your creativity, but no."
"Aw, I'll let you kiss me!"
"…"
"…okay, I'll let you do whatever you want with me. Anything that doesn't endanger my health, I'll let you do."
"Deal."
It came out to be a win-win situation for both.
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"I love you."
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"Forever? You can't be with me forever, Henry. One of us is bound to die before the other."
"Then I'll be yours for my forever."
"What about mine?"
"Buy a cat. Name it Henry. Problem solved."
"But… why are you so sure you'll be the first to die?"
"Because I can't live without you."
"Fine, I'll be yours for your forever. But don't we have a forever?"
"We do. It's called the rest of our lives. And if one of them ends short, fuck it. Our forever will be the longest forever to ever exist."
"You make no sense. But… promise?"
"Promise."
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"You're going to be okay." He holds her, kissing her cheek and her jaw and anywhere the current position will allow him to reach, "Babe, you're going to be fine, I promise. You probably just coughed too hard."
"Mmm… yeah. Probably." She leans into him, trying to forget the worry. When she's with Henry, it's always easier. She giggles as he carries her to bed, forgetting her problems as he kisses down her neck, down her body. She kisses him happily and lets out little breathy gasps and moans when he touches her, squirming underneath him. She's truly happy.
That is, until she has another violent coughing fit and runs to the bathroom to spit out wads of saliva mixed with near-alarmingly crimson blood. He's already on the phone with the doctor. He said she'd be okay.
It was the first time Henry ever broke his promise.
