These Violent Delights

by Micah Nemerever

You use other people’s useless fucking opinions as an excuse to hate yourself—”

Paul observed Julian’s compassion with more unease than fondness. The kindness was sincere, but so was the fascination. Julian could witness suffering and endure it, so long as it was under enough control that he could tease apart how it worked. Once he knew the shape of someone else’s pain, he could break off a piece of it—claim it as his own, keep it as a memento under glass—and know they would be grateful to him for taking it away.