[Trey crosses his arms and gives a tense hum. There's quite a bit to take in there...]

Well... I guess what he said isn't something that comes as much of a surprise, at least to me. Though, if he said it that way, it was pretty pointed.

[But... that's just another thing that's so much like Vil, isn't it? He never sugarcoats his words. He tells it exactly like it is.

And Cater, who was just starting to find his footing, was getting tossed about by the harsh waves of reality.]

Maybe... that's the problem? Again, I can really guess at things only so much, and I'm hesitant to do even this much.

But it's obvious you mean a lot to him. You might not care, but he does. And he's a brutally honest kind of person. Relationships... are hard work. Especially a close one like that.

And you're not going to always see eye-to-eye on things. Something like this was going to happen sooner or later. And, well... honestly, that's probably why he told you what he did that first day— to confide in someone else. So you wouldn't be left alone with your thoughts.

The point is, I think he wants— he needs someone that can withstand that sort of intensity.

Admittedly, that's a lot to ask of anyone. And he... probably knows that. Maybe he was testing you.

[Finally, he reaches out to put a hand on Cater's shoulder, and squeezes.]

This is going to sound really presumptuous, but his reaction might be his way of trying to protect you.