"I know you have lived alone with your pain and loss and all the other shit that feels horrible. So have I." He paused just long enough to find her hand again and lace their fingers together. "It's hard to explain without sounding fucking cheesy. But...fuck it. I'm going to say it anyway. I think the pain of loss is a reminder that what you had was real and it was meaningful, even if it wasn't forever. I spent decades miserable and alone because of my fear. Now I know. I know it will hurt when it is gone but I know any love that causes that pain was worth having."

He grins against the top of her head. "Maybe I'm just a masochist."