he who hesitates is toast

She has her knees drawn up and her arms draped loosely over them; he shifts a little, sitting cross-legged beside her, and rests his right hand on one knee while he plants his left hand flat against the ground on the side away from her, trying to avoid clenching his fists or doing anything that'd distress her.

The trust she's expressing humbles him almost beyond words. He doesn't know if it's a good idea to ask, but he has to know. "Did I hurt you again? When I - you said it would be worse if, if I left. Did I - the other night - did I..."