Ethan feels the way she leans into his hand, and he will always love the way that it feels, how she is drawn closer to him no matter what else is going on. It would break him if she ever did anything else, if there was ever not that instinct to lean into his hand. His thumb slides over her cheekbone as he looks at her when she bridges that very last gasp between them.

He closes his eyes, swallowing thickly as he leans in until his forehead rests against her own. Ethan slides his fingers up against the side of her neck, wrapping his hand around her neck, cupping her head there.

"I'm okay. I just--" He releases a long breath, staring down between them, knowing there are things that she doesn't know about where he was before and what he did then. "I face my anger more, but that's..." It's good in some ways, and it's terrible in others. It's terrible because it wound up with his pushing Damon up against the railing and nearly throwing him off of the side of the ship. "I wish I hadn't almost done that."