He’s been here since I was a kid
All dark hair and unreadable eyes
Together we played at magic in the woods
Sometimes the rag-tag heroes, sometimes the fairy tale prince and princess

I don’t know when things changed,
When the stories became more dark, more real
When I started isolating my true self from everyone but him

The only one who never seemed to ask me for anything.

He never asked, per se
He was always just there, patiently waiting for me to fall
So fall I did

His mouth is raindrops against my lips
I adjust, folding into his heat
Hands sliding across my waist and chest
For once, I let myself melt

His lips press together, so tight and cruel
I know he knows every secret I own, know he’s breathing in my doubt
Yet I can’t fear him

My lips quiver
A gentle brush of air and he moves aside the hair by my ear
‘Close your eyes’
He whispers, the voice of a waterfall

He’s stronger than me, taller
In a downpour, he rushes into and around me
‘Close your eyes’ he whispers
So I do

AND HE MAKES ME SEE STARS

The heat builds to the thud of my heartbeat
I push up into him until
With the mist, he’s gone

Sighing, I stand and shut the shower off
I swipe at the steam forming on the glass

In its reflection, I see the boy from inside my mind