Neil's achieved the almost improbable: Alex Seattle Geer is off his damn game, and it's all because of a kid who's barely getting used to being an adult. But this kid's off-balance as well, and he wonders if this is the first sign that he's falling into something else. Something he can't properly put into words.

He moves into the kiss, returns it lightly. Neil breathes in the scent of the other, taking actual pleasure in something where he hasn't before.