“Qhuinn: "What is wrong with you, that you care so much about me?"Blay: "What is wrong with you, that you can't see why I would?”

“What is wrong with you ” he whispered “that you care so much about me ” Blay’s sad smile added about a million years to his age lining his face with the kind of knowledge that came only after life kicked you in the nuts a number of times. “What is wrong with you that you can’t see why I would”

“You are perfect the way you are." Blay's voice was strong. "There is nothing wrong with who and what you have always been. I'm proud of you. And I love you. Now ... and always."Qhuinn's vision got wavy. Hard-core."I'm proud of you. And I love you," Blay repeated. "Always. Forget about your old family ... you have me now. I am your family.”

“Call me," she whispered to him with a confidence that would fade as the days passed. Qhuinn smiled a little. "Take care."At the sound of the two words, Blay relaxed, his big shoulders easing up. In Qhuinn-landia, "Take care" was synonymous with "I'm never going to see, call or fuck you again.”

“I see who I am reflected in your eyes. I know what you think about me. But what if I told you, you were wrong?”

“Saxton was indeed clear on things: Blay was still in love with Qhuinn— and probably always would be.“Why?” he said to his lover.“Because I want you for however long I have you.”