And X knows it. That Devin hasn't pushed him away, has instead surrendered even slightly into being held, says more about his state of mind than either of them could ever put into words. X can acknowledge, admire, and respect that unexpected intimacy even as he curses Bobby and the situation that caused it. For men like Devin, intimacy is a weakness, but for X, intimacy is a learned survival skill. And Devin has always been one of those people who trauma forges into diamond.

For many long minutes, X doesn't move. He's just there. He's there as a reminder that, even in this utterly hopeless moment, even against Devin's better judgement, he's not alone. It's many long minutes later before X tries to draw anything else out of him, and even then, it's gentle, it's soft. It's a question without obligation.

"Did she hurt anyone else?"