He leans over and kisses her, his jet hair with its snow exten­sions caught back in a black bandanna brushed with spider­web pat­terns. He kisses her with the most gentle look, a devo­tion, an ador­a­tion, a com­plete giving, softer than silk, softer than ten­der­ness, softer than skin, a ten­der­ness that belies his tough bandanna-wrapped look and his chunky boots, his black top with its gra­tu­itious safety pins, his Amer­ican gang­ster jaw and his agate eyes. He pulls back and then kisses her again, and again. Soft lips touch­ing soft cheek, so care­ful not to smudge her, not to blur the edges of her, press­ing down on her eleg­ance as if she would shat­ter and he is where he should be, he is home, he is angel and untouch­able and strong.

(for domin­icalis and purples)