[ kaveh's eyes close. midnight's fingers drag down the long line of spine. simultaneously it's touch underwater, twelve mattresses stacked in terrible, fairytale random, and it's scintillating overstimulation, too much at once. ]

Of course I do. That's because it is unbelievable. He knows what I'm like better than anyone else. Not-good, not-kind, not-decent. [ kaveh tweaks a lock of midnight's hair. he tucks behind a pointed ear. it's cartilage, kaveh realises, same as any other ear. kaveh's hand skims it, unbidden. he wonders if it pinks like any other ear when flushed. it's something to focus on as it comes: ] It was a deflection, Midnight. No more, and no less, and I was a fool for expecting otherwise. I won't forgive it.