He pauses, wraps his arms around Random's back and holds him tight, skin to skin. Again, he's quiet for a while, just leaning his cheek against his head and letting the water hold them warmly, in stasis. It would be perfect, he thinks, to stand here forever.

'You'd be strong enough,' is eventually murmured, and his eyes are closed now. 'You would be, because you love him.'

You love him more than you do me. I know it, but I can live with it.

'And someone else would have fallen for you pretty quickly, so you wouldn't be lonely.'