VERSE 1 Every word I swallowed down so you could keep your precious crown, every truth I dressed in white so we could make it through the night. Every feeling I restrained, every fury I renamed, every hurt I learned to hide so nothing ever touched your pride. PRE-CHORUS I counted ten. I bit my tongue. I chose my battles, one by one. You called me calm. You called me kind. You never asked what stayed behind. CHORUS I swallowed fire to keep you warm, held back the thunder, took the storm. Turned every scream into a sigh, every fuck you into it's alright. I kept the peace, I played my part, let every bullet bruise my heart. You loved the softness I performed— I swallowed fire to keep you warm. VERSE 2 Every pain I brought to you was cut and cleaned and thought clear through. I gave you wounds that wouldn't bleed, asked for less than what I'd need. I learned your reasons, learned your fears, made room for all your yesteryears. I knew exactly why you hurt— Funny how that made it worse. PRE-CHORUS I counted ten. I breathed it through. Found kinder ways to speak the truth. You called me strong. You called me wise. You never saw what strength disguised. CHORUS I swallowed fire to keep you warm, held back the thunder, took the storm. Turned every scream into a sigh, every fuck you into it's alright. I kept the peace, I played my part, let every bullet bruise my heart. You loved the softness I performed— I swallowed fire to keep you warm. BRIDGE But rage remembers. Every bite I took from words I couldn't say. Every night I held myself while you looked away. Every time I understood instead of screamed. Every piece I cut from me to keep your image clean. So here's the anger. Here's the blame. Here's every fucking thing I tamed. No careful words. No measured tone. No carrying your guilt along with my own. FINAL CHORUS I swallowed fire to keep you warm— now I don't care who feels the storm. No turning screams into a sigh, no more I'm fine, no it's alright. I kept your peace and lost my own, made myself smaller so you'd stay whole. You loved the softness I performed— but never asked what kept you warm. Every word. Every wound. Every fury I transformed— I swallowed fire to keep you warm.
