Kavinsky wanted to point out that this was not, in fact, free time. He kept his mouth shut because he was not stupid. He licked his lips.

"Not about hurting," he said. "About me being what you want me to be. What you need me to be. You don't have to hurt anyone for that. But, whatever you want, I'll make it good."

What did he like? He liked a boy slightly older than him, dusty hair and intense eyes and sinuous hands. He liked being held. He liked laughing during sex; he missed laughing during sex.

He said none of these things. "I like a lot of things. And I will like what we do."