Gaël didn't think it was going to be fine, but he leaned in against Daniel and cried in a way he hadn't cried since he had been a small boy and a bully had given him a bloody nose and called him names. Léon had been there for that moment, and held Gaël while teaching him a few names to call his bully in French. But mostly, Léon was good for listening, and understanding when everyone else didn't seem to get it.

He missed his other dad so much more than he even allowed himself to believe.

"I'm sorry, he repeated over and over in French, until he get his head pounding. He also figured after a while that he wasn't five anymore, and really needed to stop sobbing as though he were. And when he picked up his head, his eyes were red and puffy...but the tears had stopped.

"I miss him," he said finally, taking a deep breath as he leaned against Daniel. "I just...wanted to stop it, to not feel like every second was..." He didn't even have a word for it he realized. He just wanted to not hurt anymore, and the sex with everyone did just that. Seth gave him excitement and a thrill in knowing what he was doing was wrong. And at first...Seth had also listened and comforted him in the pain of his loss.

He didn't think knowing that would make Daniel any happier.

"I didn't mean for it to go so far... I just liked the way it made me feel. All of it. I never...I didn't, I didn't want to disappoint you."