For a moment he doesn't know what to say. His heart thuds hard in his chest and he reminds him all over again of how Keith has treated him from day one. He never sought to protect him unless he absolutely needed it. They'd been walking side by side for a long time.

He sets the mattress against the stone wall as the spirits whisk it away with the rest. He takes that moment to look Keith in the eyes. It hits him again that Keith is his. He has been for a while but neither saw it. They'd passed the tests, and Keith hadn't abandoned him. Even when it would have meant his end. That bothers him a little. "We are. I'm not used to sharing everything, but I'll try my best. So long as you do the same. You're everything to me too, Keith."

But he knows he'd do the same thing in his place. He walks past him back into the room. "You lead us out the door this time." He grabs the back end of the other mattress and lifts when Keith is ready. "You don't have to be good at talking about certain things. Sometimes all I need is someone to listen to me."