“If anyone asks you if you’re taken,” I said, “the answer is yes.”“I think I can live with that,” he promised.“Good,” I said. “Because you don’t want to see me be cross.”“Too late.”“Shut up and dance, Walt.”“Shut up and dance, Walt.”We did—with the music of a psychotic griffin screaming behind us, and the sirens and horns of Brooklyn wailing below. It was quite romantic.”

“So you did get it?” I asked, suddenly babbling. “I wasn’t sure. I mean, sometimes we don’t get very good reception at school. But I guess you know that, living on a farm and all.” Shut up, shut up, shut up .He smiled slowly. “Hunter, are you nervous?”“Shut up.”“Are you going to ask me to prom?” he teased.“Shut up,” I repeated, choking on a horrified laugh.He grinned. “I look pretty good in a tux.”I rolled my eyes, suddenly comfortable again. “And you’re so refreshingly modest.”

“You have to be quiet," I said. "We don't want to wake up the ladies. I don't think I want 'em to see me all drunk like this.""It's not really me we have to worry about, Dino.""Shit, am I too loud?""Yes. Shut up.”

“You’re not gonna kill that doctor I just saw, are you?" Carmine asked, the heavy dose of morphine in his system clouding his thoughts. "I know you killed that other one, so I was just wondering."Corrado said nothing, and Carmine wasn’t sure whether that was good or bad."I don’t think you should," he said. "He’s just a doctor.""Carmine?""Yeah?""Shut up."Carmine decided then he should probably shut up.”

“I sat up and the blankets fell away.I looked down and found I was wearing pokemon pajamas."Sadie,"I said,"I'm going to kill you."She batted her eyes innocently."But the street merchant gave us a very good deal on those.Walt said they would fit you."Walt raised his hand."Don't blame me,man.I tried to stick up for you."Bes snorted,then did a pretty good imitation of Walt's voice:"At least get the extra-large ones with Pikachu.”

“Hey, it’s-!”“Who? Oh. Oh.”“Shut up.”“I haven’t said anything yet!”“Don’t.”“How can I shut up if I haven’t said anything?”“I know you. You’ve got a monologue coming up.”