"I feel pretty good, actually. On the verge of a panic attack, maybe? I don't know but I feel like everything in me is dialed up to 10 and I can't turn it off." He smiled at Edward and reached out, putting his hands on Edward's shoulders and meeting his eyes properly for the first time. His pupils had shrunk a little but they were still too big. "I did something real bad, Eddie. For you. I'm going to protect you, okay? You're not a weakness. I know it."

Moving his hands upwards, he cupped Edward's face and felt the warm between his fingers. "I won't let anything bad ever happen to you."