[There's a half-gasp, half-sob from him at that and he tenses briefly, his mind trying to process the words. He was resigned to getting broken, to never recovering those pieces, to dwindling away over time. Almost as though he did not deserve any better.

With a small noise he lowers his head, sucking in short, quiet breaths.]

Please... please help me, Lily... and--

[I want to do the same for you.]