[ william cannot promise him something he's already broken -- william would leave him behind, having taken on their sins and wiped the slate clean, as much as he could. he feels his heart clench at albert's distress, the tea forgotten in the wake of such honest pain, the coldness of his defense mechanism edging in.

he softens, quietly surprised by that. stepping closer, william nudges albert to look at him, frowning. ]

You didn't make me anything. We are brothers and partners, Albert. What I wanted to do was something of my own volition.

[ nobody can make william do anything he doesn't want to do, although the guilt he feels from him says otherwise. of course, there is nothing william wouldn't do for albert and louis, but that's different. he reaches up to cup his face, urging albert to meet his eyes.

don't hide from him. he knows you. ]

Albert... I cannot change what happened back in our world, but I promise you, I won't leave you behind here. All I ask, is that you stay with Louis and the others. They need you.