black eyes narrowed in,

two strides and our noses almost touch.

you want me to cower, to look away,

but i don’t, i never do.

i grin, and you grin too.

your whole life they said you were bad,

that you needed to be fixed,

that you were nothing but anger and spite.

a fist through the drywall,

a few beers, a line, and a bar fight.

always making so much fucking noise,

you can’t hear the thoughts over your own voice.

but you are so quiet when we’re alone—

it’s like i can see all the way to your bones.

“don’t yell at me,” i plead.

“i would never yell at you.”

tell me, where are all your teeth?

this makes no sense, and too damn much,

you have her and i have him, but

if i’m being honest,

i love our staring contests.

at night i imagine your body over mine,

hands crossing line after line.

i make you vulnerable

and you make me immoral.

it is terrible to want you,

but i do

and you

want me

too