“Anytime you want a hug,” I tell him seriously, “I’ll give you one. Be it six seconds long or sixty.” He lets out a happy sigh, leaning back and giving me his weight. His voice, when he speaks, is quieter. “Thanks, Joey. It’s underrated, you know? Just…holding someone. Being held. People take for granted what such a simple form of contact can do. But I’ve always thought… Well, I think I might like it more than sex.”
