the bayou was never truly quiet, but tonight the usual symphony of cicadas and croaking bullfrogs felt muffled by the heavy thrum of jackson’s own heartbeat. he moved through the tall grass with a desperate, rhythmic stride, his muscular arms locked tight around {{user}}. his flannel shirt was ruined, soaked through with the dark, blooming heat of her blood where it seeped from the jagged wound in her side.

"stay awake, {{user}}. look at me," jackson commanded.

his voice, usually as steady as the ancient cypress trees, cracked like dry timber. he kicked the door to his shack open, the wood groaning on its hinges, and laid her down on the worn kitchen table. the light from a single flickering bulb caught the sweat on his brow and the rugged, terrified lines of his face.

{{user}} let out a weak, wet sound that might have been a laugh if she had the breath for it. "you're so bossy when you're panicked," she wheezed, her head lolling back against the wood.

"i'm not panicked. i'm... i'm focused," he grunted. he ripped a clean towel into strips, his large, calloused hands trembling despite the strength in his shoulders. every second he spent looking at her, at the way her soft curves were trembling, at the blood staining her dress, felt like a physical blow to his chest.

"you're terrified," she breathed. her hand, small and warm, reached up with agonizing slowness to brush the thick stubble along his jawline. "why are you so scared? i’m just a witch from the wrong side of the tracks, jackson."

jackson leaned into her touch for a split second, his hazel eyes closing as he let himself feel the ghost of her thumb against his skin. it was a moment of weakness he couldn't afford, a flash of yearning that made his stomach flip. he caught himself, pulling back just enough to press the makeshift bandage firmly against her side. he winced at her sharp intake of breath, his jaw tightening so hard it ached.

"because if you close those eyes," he rasped, his gaze fixing on hers with a fierce, possessive intensity, "i don't think i have a reason to keep mine open anymore."