"I — don't want to do things with you that you don't want." 

"I mean, I do want it, I just--"

"Value something else more. And you should get to have that. 

Do you want me to stay or would you rather I not?" 

"--Loving you makes me better."

Alright. Lev still needs something from him, and that makes everything else in his head go quiet. He offers a hand, close enough that Lev could take it but not so close that it's obtrusive if he doesn't want to. 

"I'm — glad. That I can give you that." 

He doesn't take Marlo's hand. 

"Friends?"

He takes his hand back. "Friends." 

(Later. Later.) 

"We probably shouldn't spend time alone anymore. It might be. Tempting."

He nods. "Do you want to go back to the dorm, or —?" 

"I think I might go for a walk. By myself."

"Alright." His voice sounds like he's hearing it through water. "I'll go back. Have — a good walk." 

He doesn't go for a walk. He hides behind a big tree and pulls his knees up to his chest and (he shouldn't, he wants this, this is the person he wants to be) he thinks about Marlo's face and his face feels hot and wet.

He doesn't come back to camp for a long time.