“Do you want me to come with you?” Samson asked, wishing for Linus to look in his direction. His lover’s gaze, however, remained fixated on the closed door. He braced for more rejection, the sting of Linus’s words spoken back in the park still burning his heart. They were, as far as Linus declared, over, and yet, standing there in the hospital he felt closer to Linus than ever before, while feeling terribly far away. It was hard to describe, to grasp, this swirling mass of bitter heartache and warm love that threatened to consume him. “It’s okay if you want me to stay here.”
Samson’s heartbeat thundered in his ears.
A brief wave of relief washed over him when Linus shook his head again. Then he moved away, slipping his hand from Samson’s grip, taking a few shaky steps forward. Samson cle
