Her hand just went through him...

As if he was some ghost that can't actually be touched as everything or anyone can just walk pass through him.

"W-what...W-why can't I...", she paused as she looked up at Peter who's now looking at her with a pain expression.

"You won't be able to touch me anymore...", he said softly, making Madison stare at him in disbelief.

"B-but why? D-did I do something wrong...?", she asked as Peter frowned at her question.

"I can only touch a human being once. And that one time, specifically and usually leads to their own death.", he said, answering her first question and leaving Madison stood silent as she stared at him.

"But you...still lived by only hugging me for a specific time while your father...was spared from dying due to stopping me from decreasing all of his years completely. Because of that....neither of us will be able to touch each other anymore. I won't be able to protect you anymore.", he stated and emphasized his last sentence, making the girl frown at him.

"Peter, I'll be fine---"

"No you're not going to be fine! Madison. Stop saying it's fine because it isn't! Because of what you did, you put your own life at risk!", he raised his voice, startling the girl in front of him.

"W-why are you angry all of the sudden? We were just fine last n-night--"

"Because you're being stubborn again! You talk as if you're okay with everything!...even if it's not."

"But it's really okay...", she said softly, only to be yelled at again.

"It's not! This is your own life, why do you have to put it at risk just so you could...", Peter halted in his words and bit his bottom lip to restrain himself from letting out any unexpected emotions that he might regret on.

"I-It's because...I care about you."

"CARE ABOUT YOUSELF!"

Madison sighed, her eyebrows furrowed as she looked straight into his eyes. She took soft deep breaths and let Peter yell at her since she understood what he felt. He was obviously worried, actually afraid of what could happen to her when the time comes. However, she couldn't help but to feel her heart getting heavier the more he yells.

"I already said I don't mind my lifespan decreasing if it's for---"

Madison stood silent, feeling that she's almost getting near her breaking point.

"Do you pity me because I'm the one that suffered much more than you?", he asked again, his voice already sound as if he's in pain.

Silence.

Peter spoke up again.

"If that's what you think, the you really shouldn't have--"

"What?", Madison snapped, already knowing what he's about to say.

Peter stayed silent, suddenly got taken aback by her tone and instantly realizing that he has gone too far.

"I shouldn't have what, huh...? Shouldn't have Shouldn't have hugged you?", she talked back, causing the atmosphere of the room got even more tense.

"Do you think that I did that only because I 'PITY' you? That YOU than That and I , is that it?!", she yelled at him.

"....." -Peter

"I did it... because I knew you needed someone to make you feel that you aren't alone for ONCE!You were always secretive..! Not telling everything as if nothing's really bothering you! You always keep your mouth shut even though the answer is And you're saying that I did that and said those words to you because I....pity you?."

Madison felt her eyes water as she immediately looked away from him, taking a step back. She then slowly let out a forced laugh between her sobs.

"Ah...I can't stop myself from c-crying again...W-what should I d-do...haha..", she let out, covering some parts of her face with her hand while trying to wipe away the tears.

Peter looked down at her and pursed his lips, clenching his fists and cursing at himself for even mentioning something similar to what he had said to her before. Madison may not have the heart to say it to him but, Peter knows that she's aware that she's getting hurt again.

Without thinking, Peter's hand suddenly raised up on it's own and was about to pull her close into a hug but...it immediately stopped halfway due to his sudden thought.

He frowned while lowering his hand. Madison's head was still facing down while she refused to look at Peter for a moment, completely having no clue about what Peter was about to do just now.

"It's...useless...", Peter thought as he finally let his hand down to his side, feeling hopeless at not being able to do anything to at least comfort her in a simple way.

He decided to stay silent, patiently waiting for her to calm down like she did last time. He didn't want to put anymore pressure on her and mess things up even more.

He doesn't want her to cry...

He hated seeing her cry....

He just wanted her...to be okay again.

Peter's eyebrows slightly raised up when Madison finally let out a shaky sigh and lifted her right hand to rub her left arm, hoping it would somehow ease away the tension and make her calmer than before.

"I'll only say this once so hopefully, you'd understand.", she said, looking back at him and instantly meeting his gaze once again.

Madison slightly gulped at the boy's gaze. He now looks calm while looking at her but...

"What is she going to say..? Either way, I want to listen...I don't want to say anything that can hurt her again...I want her to at least sleep peacefully after this talk of ours..", Peter thought in his head while patiently waiting for what she has to say to him.

"Why is he that quiet while looking at me like that...?", she thought, slowly getting flustered.

It's like his full attention is stuck to her and HER only.

She immediately looked away, making the boy tilt his head in confusion at her and blinked for a few times.

"...Hm.?", Peter hummed in a questioning tone, obviously asking her to continue in a simple way.

"I...", Madison paused, taking a deep breath first before facing him again.

"I don't regret anything that has happened, whether it puts my life in danger or not....", she said, examining any facial response from Peter, yet he only raised an eyebrow at her with his calm face.

"Why..? What makes your time of living in this world turn out like it's not even important whether you die early or not?", he asked straightforwardly with his eyebrows slightly furrowed as Madison immediately answered by saying,

"You."

Peter raised an eyebrow at her answer.

Did he hear it right...?

"What does she even mean by that..?", he thought

"You."

Her voice echoed throughout his head, suddenly making him clear his throat and look away from her.

"You...you're being stupid right now.", he managed to say, letting himself float right in front of her and crossed his legs in mid air while crossing his arms above his chest at the same time.

"I get that a lot. So shut up.", she retorted, making the boy furrow his eyebrows as if the moment earlier just repeated, except having the tables turned.

Peter sighed, turning his head to look back at her.

"Why me?", he suddenly asked.

He was slightly taken aback when she suddenly let out a sheepish smile and said a few words to him even though her eyes were still red due to crying earlier.

"Because I like you."