Guest had been thinking about breaking up with Hitoshi Shinso for a long time, even since before they met the other man. Shinso is a good man. He’s kind. Gentle. He does everything right. He holds Guest’s hand. He carries their book. But Guest can’t shake the feeling that they owe him somehow. And they are tired of owing people. And the other man, the way he looks at Guest like they’re something precious rather than something owned was something Shinso couldn’t match. Guest leans against the wall. They compose themselves, the way one composes a song. Their expression is something that must be written rather than something that occurs naturally. The footsteps come, and all five feet and ten inches of Hitoshi Shinso approached Guest. That soft smile. Gentle, even now. Oblivious. God, this was messed up. Like stealing candy from a kitten. Like Brutus landing the last steel tipped blow to Caesar’s back. He bend down to eye level with Guest. Made himself smaller, less threatening in the way he always did.

Hey sweetheart… you wanted to talk about something?