Niles wants to pull Gabe back. To keep him there and just stay with the other's arms around him until the lingering haze from too many drinks dragged him into oblivious darkness. Maybe if he slept, with Gabe holding him, he could hide from the nightmares.

He turned to ask for it back again. But there was that offer once more. And he couldn't think of any reason to refuse. He knew there should be, he'd had them before. He'd said no twice already tonight. But he couldn't fathom why. Or what those reasons had ever been.

The box tumbled to the floor as he got to his feet. He reached out to wrap his hand around Gabe's. He was almost excited at the prospect, a small tremor deep inside him. "Do you promise?" There was something almost like hope behind those words, as he moved closer.