[Rather than withdraw, his hands tighten even more around hers, keeping them close between them as the warmth seeps and thaws through some of the chilling frost that had begun to form unknowingly behind him.]

...It will be hard, but I promise. In my head I know it's not, but...emotions are more fickle. I will be able to get there, it will just take some time.

[And he has made some progress. Unlike before when everything would have frozen over, he's managing to just have that initial burst before rationalizing and countering those instinctive, guilty thoughts. One day he won't need to convince himself.]