"Something like that," he said, dropping his own voice. He wanted a connection, too. Desperately, he wanted a connection. His close friends were fine, but for whatever reason, he could never be honest with them, he could never show his teeth or his darker thoughts or the reason for his sleepless nights. It was why he was drawn to Edward that first time. It was why he was drawn to him now. Despite the insults. Despite the fear.

(Edward had told him, how they had truth on their side.)

"Back home," he said, somehow still thinking of it as a home, "I took things into my own hands. I took things into my own hands because I-- well, because the police were crazy, for one, but anyway, I took things into my own hands because I trusted that was what would get things done. That was what would make things better."