“Shane! Shane! You must keep the boy from eating any more! You have no idea what will happen!” Collin was face to face with Martin’s father then, and they both heard Martin say, “You stay away from my eats, little man, or I will end you!” “You need to put that down, Martin, or you will never fit through another door!”

“Green smiled at me, all that compassion in his eyes, and he cupped my face in his hands, asthough it were delicate, and precious. "You must never leave me,” he said solemnly. "You may take asmany lovers as you want, but you must promise to always be here to make me feel like I can do all thatneeds to be done.”

“Walking away from you was like walking away from the best part of me. I almost didn’t recognize him.Walking away from you was like walking away from the best part of me. I almost didn’t recognize him.”

“Whiskey was still looking some place past Patrick’s shoulder, and suddenly his brown eyes metPatrick’s with a sort of inscrutable intensity. “Patrick, this isn’t over, okay? You and me? You want tostay here, you want to keep sleeping in my bed, that’s fine. I like you there. You’re warm and you’re kind,and it’s comfortable, having you there. But I’m going to want you, and you’re going to want me, and if youdon’t want to follow through on that, that’s fine too. But you’ll need to decide which way you want it, andyou need to make it clear when you make your decision. I’m, like, twelve years older than you, and I don’tsleep around. I’m not going to hit on you just because you’re cute and you’re here. I need to know it’ssomething you want, and it’s something you need, and you’re not just doing it because you think you needto put out because I’m being human to you. You don’t. All you need to do is be human back.”

“I know. But maybe that’s what growing up gets you. You get better. You stop waiting for the bad stuff to happen and maybe enjoy the good, you know?”

“For Christ's sake, Ian, he was stealing your cash! I hope you at least wore a raincoat, you feel me?Ian blinked. Why would I want a raincoat, Joel? I was having sex.Joel put his face in his hands, closed his eyes tight, and prayed that when he looked up and opened then Ian would be kidding.He wasn't”

“You love him, man,” was what Jensen did say. “You love him so much, you’re making plans to go to hell for him.”