"No," Neal says again, quick and quiet. "No, not you. I just want you to know that you're allowed to be. No one here who loves you, who really loves you, is going to walk out on you for having feelings they don't like."

He drapes his arm across Malcolm's middle, pulling the other man closer. There's nothing suggestive in it--he makes sure the motion is chaste--but he needs Malcolm close. He needs to at least pretend he can protect him from what's coming, a little bit. Even if it's a lie.