His thumb curves over her cheekbone at the sight of those tears. It slides down and then taps gently against her jaw. Fingers spear back into the strands of her hair, tethering himself to this moment. Keeping the edges at bay.

He breathes in against her hands. Eyes close. The rattling returns to his chest.

"I need a drink."

He moves by her to the closet and pulls out a bottle of alcohol, tearing off the cap and gulping down a portion of it. His stomach jolts and twists and turns as the alcohol tries to crawl back up his throat, and he throws the bottle against the wall.

It shatters. He shakes. Forgets how to breathe. Doesn't need to.