'Hold me, man,' Louis whispered in a papery voice, burying his face in Chris's chest. And Chris held him. Louis' body was feverishly hot and unexpectedly muscular. Powerful emotions passed through each man's skin where it touched the other, like particles of gold and lead flowing into each other as they do when bars of lead and gold are left lying next to each other for long enough. And all of history was long enough for the transfer to be made.