"Hey." He reaches up, closes his hand around Neil's wrist--and doesn't tug it away. "I survived for years in the fucking Realm. Gotta be doing something right."

Now that he's started this--now that he's holding onto Neil, pressed against him--it's feeling... not more natural. Not easy. But bearable. He doesn't feel like he might literally be in danger of combusting.

Even with all that bare skin under his hands.

"Can we get off the goddamn floor?"