I throw myself into his arms. I bury my face into his neck and his shoulder, hiding the tears. I can't help but smile. He's okay. I have to keep telling it to myself or I'll start getting thirsty again. He's here, he's healthy, he's okay.

I pull away a little bit so I can look at him, still in his arms. He has a strange look on his face. A mixture between fright and puzzlement. I laugh. I can't really help it. It just seems so funny all of a sudden for his face to look so utterly frightened and puzzled while I cry onto his shoulder because he's completely okay.

I can't stop laughing until suddenly I can. I look at him seriously and then I put my hand around his head, cupping him behind the ear, and quickly pull his face toward mine. I bring our lips together and then pull away and pause, looking into his eyes. Green like algae on the top of a pond.

"Damien," I say.

"Mm?"

"I just thought of the shittiest simile in all of recorded history." I pause. "Damien, I love you."

He pulls me close and we just stand there embracing for a long time. It is wonderful.

She's kissing me. Pressing me against the wall. She's more powerful sometimes than any man I've ever been with. I don't really have a choice right now. I'm her's until she's through with me, and then I'll beg for more. But at other times she's not like that at all. At other times she's frail and ins

She pauses, pulls away. "Zach," she says, "I love you."

I look her in the eyes, still pressed against the wall, my hands on her hips. "But I'm a degenerate," I say.