Ganymede remained silent, still furious at Fredrick for what he'd said about Alexander, but took his lover's hand gently once they'd crossed the doorway threshold.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "You should talk to your parents, I don't want you to leave on bad terms with them." And he didn't want Alex to feel like it was Ganymede who'd tipped the relationship away from being able to be salvaged, doubt sowing its tiny black seeds already.