"Okay, okay," I say with a quick smile. "It's okay. You don't have to understand it all right now. I sure don't."

I reach out and touch his arm, carefully, on a spot where the skin's covered by fabric. "But it hurts less than it did, right? Maybe we can get you used to it."

Because I can't be inside him. I can't be his, in that way. But if he just wanted to be around me a lot? I could deal with that. I really could. And if... if I could do that, if Zett would let me make him happier with that, then it'd mean the Shadow Line would be weakened.

And it'd mean that Zett would be happier. That'd be amazing.