Page 80 of Soul on Fire

Ikolo threaded their fingers together and kissed each of Elliot’s knuckles. “What will you do if you stay here?”

“I want to be like you. I want to do something that will help other people. Something that will build for the future. Somethinggood.”

“You’re already good, Elliot.”

“But I can be better. You showed me that. I can be a better man.”

“We can all be better men, all the time. I’m not perfect.”

“You are perfect to me.” Elliot rolled on top of Ikolo and kissed him as the moon watched and then slowly moved on, carrying its light around the world until dawn. And when the sun rose, Elliot was still kissing Ikolo and moving inside of him, breathing “I love you” against his skin and Ikolo whispered the same back to Elliot every other breath. “Mpenzi wangu, nakupenda sana. Nakupenda sana.”

My love, I love you so much. I love you so much.

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