"He is my friend," Gavin said miserably. "I don't understand what's just about it. My parents were best friends. Back - back before, when Pel and I -" he cut off there, sighing. "We were lovers, but we weren't friends. Not really. I didn't understand which was more important..."

And neither did Maxwell, apparently.

His ears and his head drooped, kicking his heels.

"I know I'm not the best friend in the world, but I'm a worse lover, Sam. I don't want to hurt anyone else that badly ever again."