Neither of them want a middle ground, but frankly, it was needed. Because how was Nida supposed to be a good friend when he too was too caught up in his pulse racing, in how much he could hang on the other young man's words? Finding one was going to have to be enough.

Of course there goes all hope with Billy just about pulling him over into a hug. Well, there's a thing. Which he relaxes into more than he really should. It's comforting, being held like this. Being cared about like this. It all makes it just a little easier.

"I know their voices now," he says, his own voice soft, barely a whisper. After a moment of hesitation he holds up his wrist and starts flipping through commands until there's a video on the screen. It's small, it's so small and he hates the tech for that. "This appeared on my device this morning. Along with everything else. My parents, my home, in the kitchen making curry. I have their voices, saying my name."

Which means more than he knows how to explain. Except maybe Billy could understand it. That first time hearing his own name from Wanda's mouth... Being called her son. That's what this feels like to him. Being possessed by a family he always wanted and never knew.