Even though he can't see Louis' smile, Gaeta unconsciously mirrors it: humorless, there and gone.

"I don't want you to go," he says after a moment. "I've always -- " He wipes the pad of his thumb over his eyes again. "It's always been easier when you're here. And I frakked up, and I don't know how to stop frakking up, but I just -- "

Finally, he looks up.

"I don't want you to leave me."