Chapter 243 - Care For One Another

*WARNING: The following content may contain mildy mature content that may not be suitable for younger audiences.

"Tobias...I need you." Mimi whispered hoarsely. "I want to do it with you."

Those words...like heaven and hell at the same time.

Tobias's dark eyes stared at her face for a long time before he lowered his head to kiss her teary eyes. He gently kissed her forehead, nose, and lips.

Mimi's heart stirred. His touches were soft as if she were a delicate being.

Biting Tobias's lower lip in defiance, her hands moved back to his chest and tried to slip down to his belt, but he suddenly pulled her hands away and over her head. Tobias's lips were still on hers, his mouth sucking on her tongue gently.

Mimi tried to break her hands-free, but he continued to clasp them in place. When their wet lips parted, he gently nipped her bottom lip, then wrapped her small body tightly in his strong arms.

"There's no need to rush. I'll wait until you're ready." Tobias murmured softly against her head.

A little stunned, Mimi blinked her eyes rapidly. Her nose felt sour.

"But...I am ready." She murmured with a feeble voice.

Instead of responding, Tobias kissed the top of her head and clung to her body tighter.

"Then let's wait a little longer."

Mimi was silent for a moment. She could feel Tobias's eyes shift, so she looked up.

"Okay?" He gently caressed her back, eyes staring deeply into hers.

For a moment, Mimi felt her firm heart stir. The dark, empty feelings she felt before seemed to melt away under his warm gaze.

"...Okay." Her voice came out weaker than she intended.

Tobias just smiled and wrapped his arms around her again, his large body swallowing hers completely. After that, she managed to fall asleep only to wake up to the same nightmare she experienced for the last few days.

It was a repeat of the car accident simulation. Instead of Tobias dying, it was her sister.

Over and over again, she watched her sister die before her.

Mimi breathed heavily as air surged into her lungs and a muffled cry escaped her lips.

"Mimi? Mimi, breathe!"

Feeling a pair of arms wrap around her shoulders, she looked up to see Tobias's worried gaze all over her. He cradled her to his sturdy chest with his strong arms and gently patted her back as their heartbeats drummed against each other.

Somehow, he looked like he was in more pain than her, she thought.

"Drink," He passed her a glass of water from the nightstand.

Quietly thanking him, Mimi accepted the glass and drank it in one big gulp. When she finished, she passed it back to him, who set it back on the stand before gently rubbing her arm to warm her up. She hadn't realized she was cold just now.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, his tone careful.

Mimi's complexion was as white as a piece of paper. She forced a smile and murmured against his chest, "I'm okay now."

From the darkening of his eyes, it was clear he didn't believe her. He sighed heavily and leaned back into the bed with her in his arms.

"Before...you once said that as a couple, we have to take care of one another." Tobias's low and deep voice sounded over the small, dark bedroom.

"I hurt when you're hurt. When you were gone, and I wasn't able to know if you were okay..." His voice cracked softly.

Suddenly the arms around Mimi tightened, squeezing her so that she thought she might bruise.

Tobias took a deep breath and buried his head into her hair. His fingers tangled with hers and her heart thudded so hard she felt she lost her breath. They stayed together like that, his fingers laced with hers. His arms around her waist while Mimi leaned her head against his broad, hard chest.

Tobias had stayed quiet for a long moment before he said, "I need to see you."

When he loosened his arms around her waist to click the bedside lamp on, Mimi blinked against the sudden light. Before her eyes adjusted to the intense light, he pulled her to him and kissed her gently. Naturally, Mimi responded - deepening the action.

They teased and tasted each other patiently. She m.o.a.ned into his mouth, raising her arms to cup his neck, pulling him closer. At this, Tobias pulled back and leaned his forehead against hers. He was breathing heavily, eyes closed.

It was only now that Mimi took note of the stubble that had begun to grow on his face. However, he didn't look disheveled or unkempt. Instead, those marks of fatigue gave him the charisma of a desirable man.

Mimi stared at his face silently.

Why is it she never realized what long lashes he had?

She raised her fingertips to gently brush against his dark lashes. Tobias's muscles tensed a little before he opened his jet-black eyes to stare back into hers. He got quiet.

She saw anxiety, fatigue, and a profound sense of heat radiating from his eyes. She could see everything about them. Mimi felt his gaze roam every inch of her face from her lips, nose, and finally, her eyes where they stayed.

She stroked his cheek softly as the two stared at one another in silence.

"Tobias," She said softly. "I love you."

At long last, a smile formed on his face. He raises the hand resting on his cheek and kisses the inside of her palm slowly. Those deep eyes of his steal a peek at her.

"I love you, too."

"All of me?" Mimi couldn't help but tease.

He chuckled and kissed her palm again, then her cheek and lips.

"I fell in love with all of you."

...

Whilst Mimi had finally fallen asleep, Tobias studied her as she slept. Her hair was matted and splayed about the pillow her head sunk into. Her petite frame was curled to one side as if in the protection of itself, and her full lips were slightly parted.

He wanted to run his fingers over her dark, wet lashes. He never wanted to see those lashes damp. Not ever again.

Tobias hadn't told her, but during her nightmare, he overheard her calling someone's name.

Emily.

Hearing her feeble and helpless cry for her beloved sister, he felt as if something was crushing his heart and breaking it into pieces. The depths of Tobias's eyes darkened. He leaned off the bed and stepped into the living to pull out his phone.

"You said you were trying to make up for all those years you lost right?" Tobias glanced over at the bedroom door where the girl slept. His eyes darkened. "Now's your chance to make it right."