[Cater's smile stumbles and falls from his face as he squeezes Vil's hands more tightly. Poisonous? He both does and doesn't know what Vil means by that--he has them himself, doesn't he? But somehow it feels different. Vil's demons are not his own.

But that doesn't mean he doesn't have them. Honestly, Cater's surprised that he's only seeing them now. He supposes that even with how practiced he is at hiding himself, his dark thoughts, Vil's profession would make it even easier for him to pretend to be fine when his whole world is sinking.]

I've been broken for a long time, Vil. All you've ever done is help me start to pick back up the pieces.

[He draws one of those hands to his mouth, kisses Vil's palm.]

We might get some cuts along the way...but those'll heal.