He lay still as fragments fell into his hands - the circle, the blood, the pain, the tears, the revelation - a nameless feeling, a release. Then the buttons undone, the smoothness of Val's skin, the presence of his body next to him, his light, his fingertips - his scent, still on his hands; and above all, his joy, written in his eyes and in his smile. He tried to recall Val's voice: "I love you", he had said. Adrien placed the words on his own lips. "I love you", he repeated.