Backstitch

"I-I'm sorry. I'm just..."

"It's okay to be scared, Lou," Nolan held his hands tightly. He gave a light laugh, "I'm scared almost every day. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

Lou clenched his jaw tightly, facing away with his eyes shut tight. "I...I'm scared to wake up from this. To--To open my eyes and see you gone, too. T-To be alone again." His voice hitched, "I can't do that again, Nolan. I-I don't know what I'll do. I'll...I'll go insane--"

"Hey, it's okay," the brunette tried to bring him back to reality. "I'm here right now, aren't I? I've been here this whole time. If I didn't plan on staying with you, I wouldn't have offered to help in the first place."

"But to keep you here, basically trapped for the sake of helping me--"

"What does being trapped mean to you?"

Lou took in a shaky breath, "B-...Being alone."

"Are you alone?"

"...No."

"Am I alone?"

"Of course not," his response was quicker, making Nolan smile softly.

"Then, the way I see it, neither of us are trapped. Not anymore."