Love may be a grand thing, but goddamn if it doesn't take up more than its fair share of space inside a man.

And Percy is right there beside me on that beautiful, glowing street and he is just as beautiful and glowing as it is. The stars dust gold leafing on his skin. And we are looking at each other, just looking, and I swear there are whole lifetimes lived in those small, shared seconds.

I want to be the only thing touching him. I want to be the only thing that ever touches him again. I will be envious of every shirt he ever wears, the cuffs of his coats, the trousers going soft with wear where they rub his inner thighs.

Shout at me, I want to tell him. Fight back, because I deserve it. I deserve to be fed all the ways I've made him feel unwanted, slapped with my own selfishness, But he's Percy, so he doesn't say another cruel word. Even at his worst, he's so much better than me.

Shout at me, I want to tell him. Fight back, because I deserve it. I deserve to be fed all the ways I've made him feel unwanted, slapped with my own selfishness. But he's Percy, so he doesn't say another cruel word. Even at his worst, he's so much better than me.

Shout at me, I want to tell him. Fight back, because I deserve it. I deserve to be fed all the ways I've made him feel unwanted, slapped, with my own selfishness, But he's Percy, so he doesn't say another cruel word. Even at his worst, he's so much better than me.

It is remarkable how much courage it takes to kiss someone, even when you are almost certain that person would very mush like to be kissed by you. Doubt will knock you from the sky every time.

It had felt like the first deep breath I'd ever taken, to tell him everything, to hear his half of it all, then hold them up together to find they fit like two pieces of cracked pottery.

I look down at his hand and laugh without quite knowing why. “You deserve some sort ofreward for putting up with me.”“You’re my reward.”“Shit reward I am.”“Why do you think everyone needs some sort of recompense for being around you?” he says,his voice so gentle I almost start to cry.