Chapter Text
“I can take care of myself just fine, alright?” Todd sounded frustrated. Neil paused to regard his roommate, to really look at him, and saw through that frustration. Todd didn’t really want to be left alone, Neil saw. He saw that Todd did want to be a confident speaker, the kind of person others really listen to, but he was afraid to try, he didn’t know how to do it on his own. Well, Neil decided, Todd was his friend, and he wasn’t about to let his friend live his life alone and afraid.
“No,” he said. I’ll take care of you, he didn’t say.
That was not a response Todd had anticipated. He honestly hadn’t considered it might be an option. But of course, Neil gets an idea in his head and there’s no stopping him.
“What do you mean, no?”
Neil smiled, and when he repeated, “No,” what he meant was you don’t have to.