“He hadn't told me everything, but I'd left him for dead. I guess we were just about even.”

“He wiped away the tears, tenderly, and I forgot to weep as he told me silently everything I always wanted to hear. ”

“I'd kind of expected that kids who knew about the Real World wouldn't act like jock dipwads. Guess I was wrong.”

“I turned my face into Japhrimel's shoulder. "You're going to disappear," I said into his coat, not even caring that I knew what it was made of. "Just stay for a moment, just please just for a minute, a second—""Dante." His fingers came up, tangled in my already-tangled hair. "I heard you calling me. I tried to answer.""Just for a few seconds." I buried my face in his coat, his other arm closed around me. I inhaled the smell of cinnamon, of amber musk, the deadly smoky nonphysical fragrance of demons. Filled my lungs with the breath of life. "Before I have to burn this whole fucking place down.""Be still," he answered. "I am here, I have never left your side. I told you, you will not leave me towander the earth alone.”

“He opened his arm as I slid next to him. I settled against his side, letting out another deep sigh as his familiar heat and aura closed over me. I laid my head on his shoulder and was rewarded with the pressure of his cheek against the top of my head, a subtle caress. I shut my eyes. It seemed they were leaking again. I had thought I was done with crying. "I thought you were dead," I said for the hundredth time. "I keep thinking you'll vanish, and I'll wake up." "I told you, while you live, I live." He sounded calmer now, the tension leaving him. He settled back into the seat, and I leaned into him, grateful. "I would not abandon you, Dante.”

“I guess since the groin is the center of a guy's world, he rarely guesses it isn't the center of yours.”

“Would I be as strong as that once I did that thing Christophe was talking about? Blooming? Would I smell like a bakery item? Or was that just him? Did he use pie filling for cologne?”