I marched towards the creature. I wanted to tell him everything would be okay, but my voice was gone, and I wasn’t even sure he would understand me. I heard Nova yelling for me to go back as I wrapped my arms around him and embraced everything that he was. Certainly, it wasn’t in my plans to go back. I stayed there, waiting, hoping he would understand. He was home now, and—weirdly enough—it felt like I was, too, as the fleeting thought that dying here wouldn’t matter if it was by his hand crossed my mind.

To my surprise, he returned the action, even going so far as to lean forward in a way that could have implied he was on the verge of kissing me, or devouring me whole, as he parted his lips and gripped my shoulders a little bit tighter.

My heart beats rose to my throat.

I wasn’t sure whether I should accept the gesture or not.

A) But I did. I shut my eyes and braced myself to kiss him, too.

B) I didn’t. I quickly ended our hug and hoped it wouldn’t offend him. It was unclear, what he’d meant to do; I couldn’t trust it would end well.

C) I cringed and pushed him away. Maybe this had been a mistake after all. “Leith, run, you fucking idiot!” Nova shouted from afar.