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“I guess not.”

Sebastian hissed in sympathy, then reached for Rory’s hand. “What the hell did you do to yourself?”

“I had an argument with the wall.”

“Who won?”

“The wall, but it was close.”

Sebastian laughed lightly and rubbed his thumb over Rory’s knuckles. “It’s going to be okay, Rory.”

“No, it’s not, it won’t be okay. I can’t think of a single way any of this is going to end well.”

“What are you talking about?”

“But I don’t have to face that, not yet. I’d rather think about thenow, not the future.”

Sebastian dropped Rory’s hand, then pressed the back of his fingers to Rory’s forehead. “What’s going on in here?”

He shoved Sebastian’s hand away from his face and straddled him. Sebastian stilled, then he shook his head in disapproval.

“Rory…”

“Kiss me.”

Sebastian’s smile was pained. “Do you really think a kiss will make you better?”

“Not in the long run, but maybe for a little while.Please, just let me have that little while. That’s all I’m asking for.”

Sebastian eyed Rory’s lips, and Rory closed his eyes, waiting, but the only kiss he got was brief and on his tender cheek.

“A proper kiss.”

Sebastian exhaled. “I can’t do that.”

“Please.” Rory opened his eyes and clutched Sebastian’s shoulders. He pressed his forehead to Sebastian’s. “Please, I won’t ask ever again, I swear. In a week…in a week, you’re never going to see me again.”

“Rory—”

Rory swooped to connect their lips, but Sebastian’s hands shot up and caught his chest. “Stop…”

“Please, Sebastian.”

Sebastian shook his head, but his gaze dropped to Rory’s lips. His eyes darkened, and his hands slipped from Rory’s chest and found his hips.

“Please,” Rory murmured, getting closer. “I need this. I need you.”

Before Sebastian could protest again, Rory pressed his lips to Sebastian’s. Not kissing, there was no suction, their lips just rested together.

Short, sharp breaths left Rory’s nose, his heart punched in his chest, hard enough to make him dizzy, and the darkness in the cell seemed to make everything worse. Sebastian wasn’t kissing him, and he’d never needed someone to kiss him that badly in his life.

“This isn’t a good idea,” Sebastian mumbled.

His words vibrated off Rory’s lips, making them tingle. Rory didn’t reply; he stayed perfectly still, mouth touching Sebastian’s. Not kissing, but touching, resting, waiting. A tear ran down his cheek, but he didn’t move; he didn’t brush it away, and it fell between them.

Rory didn’t know how long they sat like that. There was nothing to judge time against in the dark. He wanted Sebastian to kiss him, to open his mouth and take the pain away, even if it only lasted a few minutes.

Sebastian opened his lips millimetre by millimetre until Rory’s bottom lip slipped between his. The first touch of Sebastian’s tongue on his lip made Rory gasp and reach for Sebastian’s hair.

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