[ Bastien nods. He feels an urge to break eye contact, because it’s nearly too much—the shame at having caused all this pain over something so silly, the realization of how thoroughly he could ruin the man, the responsibility to never ever do that. But he doesn’t look away. He brushes his thumb over By’s cheek, and he says, first of all, ]

You are easy in the ways I need you to be easy.

[ He chances a little smile. Not too lighthearted, certainly not flippant, but encouraging: it’s going to be alright. ]

I knew I was wrong, and I knew I’d been a bastard, but I didn’t doubt for a second that you would still want me here.

[ Thus the bag. Bastien wouldn’t have risked being turned away. Not with his toothbrush in hand. Too humiliating. ]

And since you first said it, you’ve never let me wonder for a moment if you loved me. I always know you do. That is all the easy I need from you. Okay?