"Susan," He said softly, then he sighed. "I kind of already have you and Ernie for that, you know." How many times had he turned up at Ernie's for a decent rest after a terrible nightmare. "But in an other way, I don't want to depend on you both.."
It was all very terrifying and foreign for him. ""I'd never considered romance as something I wanted before but now.." Now he could see people pairing off and being happy and he didn't want to end up alone either.
"I'll take your word for it." He answered in response to her saying it was amazing to have someone who loved you. "I've never had anyone say that to me except friends."