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Carter didn’t seeh and I tookthe aard group conversation about Carter and irl turned out to be really nice, and we perched at a table next to the guys, our conversations each taking their own directions, lines occasionally floating fro Joey with Carter It was the first time I’d seen Joey relax with someone, and the most I’d seen of Carter outside of the bedroom I sat back in my chair and drank in the opportunity to watch hihed, the run of his hand through his hair, the way his e of the beer, the way his eyes would darken, just a hint, when he glanced at oodbyes, I wanted him so badly it hurt

When we left the restaurant, the streets were in fog, the city quiet

"This is my favorite time in New York" I tilted back my head and looked at the sky, the moon illuh the fra ahold of h ht Anywhere else in the country, everyone would be asleep And a lot of New Yorkers are" I gestured to the closed storefronts we passed, the dark apart, but there’s still the energy…" I tried to think of how to describe it,me

"I know" He sht owls"

I glanced at hiht owls"

He pulled gently onup to the sky next to me "Hear it?"

I closedinto all of the sounds that my city ears tuned out The muted beat of someone’s bass The splash of a puddle as a taxi drove by The rumble of the subway underneath our feet The softbarked "Yeah"

"You know, you’re different than I expected"

I stopped listening to the sounds of the city and turned to him, our hands still linked "In ay?"

"I don’t know" He looked away, back up at the sky "I’ that out"

"Good luck" I let out a soft laugh "I’ that out too"

That couldn’t have made sense to hi, just stepped forward, toward our building I followed, us ,

The elevator stopped and I was surprised when he held open the door of the elevator and didn’t get off on ainst the elevator door, keeping it open