Monroe moved closer, slipping his hand into Jax's and quietly marvelling at how carefully the other man's larger fingers held onto him.

"We'll figure it all out."

Jax raised his eyes to him, searching Monroe’s face and finding no doubt or fear there this time.

After a long moment, Jax slumped with a sigh, and that prickling heat faded.

"It's not okay..." Jax said, trying to keep his voice down, but it still seemed to rumble and echo in the small space. "I didn't... I don't want to ever..."

The penny dropped.

"... You won't hurt me, Jax." Monroe offered quietly.

"You don't know that-"

"I do, actually."

Monroe stumbled forward slightly as Jax lowered his shaking hand and tried to crunch himself uncomfortably into the corner of the room.

"No- I'm okay- It's okay! It was just a surprise." Monroe set his hand on Jax's arm, feeling that heat prickling up through his own skin.

He wanted to disappear. To sink into the wall that pressed painfully into his back. Anything to escape that look.

His skin prickled with heat. Monroe could feel it, looking up in alarm, then concern when no shift happened this time.

Jax raised a hand in what was supposed to be a calming gesture, only to immediately regret it as Monroe flinched and stumbled away from him.

His heart broke at the look on Monroe’s face. Fear. Uncertainty. Things he had seen there before, but never directed at him like that.