Marilyn's breath felt thick, like syrup in her throat and coating her tongue, she'd run so far already, and she didn't care that she could barely breathe as a result of it. The alley was empty, the pavement clattering hollowly under her soft sandals, and the sweat coating her palm loosened at the string of the balloon she held until it slipped and ascended, quickly snagging against a fire escape and popping.

Marilyn laughed, stopped running and stared up at the remainings of the balloon, the silver string winking in a dart of sunlight, the torn rubber fragments dangling from it, some pieces at her feet. She closed her eyes, now feeling the leavings of exertion, her pulse throbbing, her lungs stinging, and her tongue so dry....

Not so dry when his lips found hers. Tickle from his tongue, slipped between her lips, tickled just inside, until it found a teasing, shy rhythm. She put her arms over his shoulders, warm everywhere, their bodies pressed together until she wrapped her legs around his waist and felt hands up her smooth legs.

"It can be like this forever," He whispered. She felt a quick kiss on her cheek, another on the tip of her nose, and then a lingering one at the base of her throat. "Just accept my terms."

"It could be," Marilyn agreed but then she giggled and listened to him scream as she opened her eyes and he evaporated, "but I don't want to be blind forever."