You probably wouldn't think it, knowing me now, but back then? I used to cry a lot. When I was sad or scared... I'd hide under the blankets and cry, or cling to her. I used to get picked on so much for it.

[Which... led to him stopping himself from crying in the rare times he felt like doing it, why it became so natural to him. He turns until he's on his back again and staring up at the stars, though he still holds Billy's hand.]

Anyway. When I was hiding from her, mom would get all the pillows and cushions and blankets and set up a big fort in her room. When she was done, she'd knock on my door and say she needed my help, since I'd have the last pillow in my room. So I'd add the finishing touch, and we'd hang out together and talk about everything. What bothered me, what didn't... It was always kind of small for her, but she never said anything about it.

[And it felt good when he was a kid. He felt like he was hiding from all the bad things in the world with his mom, holed up in a castle, the queen and her little prince, protectors of their stronghold and their kingdom. She'd even play along with him, letting stuffed animals and action figures be their knights or representations of the bullies in school. It was nice...]