"Yeah," says Carmy, all the fight gone out of him. He reaches up and idly scratches his nails along the back of Richie's scalp, feeling a little blurry again about being touched gently. About being a thorny cunt and then being touched gently anyway. God.

He likes being nose to nose, not quite kissing, just studying the expression in the shadow of Richie's eyes as he feels fingers probe somewhere hot and personal. He's getting hard again, far more for the romance than the ass touching. "You make me feel really good," he whispers. Arcs his hips up a little, plants his heel, holds there with his abdomen taut. There's less tension inside him though, muscles going hot and loose and inviting for Richie's hand as Carmy"s lashes flutter. "You.. know I love you too, right?"