intimacy after ipv (Pt. 2)

to the man who assaulted me

—

i can feel how close i am.

close enough that the last piece feels
less heavy than it does fragile.

—

this isn’t about rage.
or grief.
or even fear.

—

it’s about what happens next.

—

these days
a man can show me nothing but green flags.
he can be kind,
attentive,
gentle with my nervous system.
he can signal safety without spectacle,
generosity without performance.

—

and still
the moment my heart opens
even a fraction
the walls, enthral

because my body remembers
what my mind has repeatedly tried to forget.

—

to trust like that again, it’s dangerous.