It is the gentleness he wished for a thousand times over in his lowest moments. The compassion he wanted so badly when he was in pain. How different might things have gone if, when Gaeta rasped don't let Cottle take my leg, Helo promised they would get him back to Galactica in time? If he had been allowed to see Dee's body and pay his final respects to his best friend? If everything that happened on Raptor 718 hadn't been dismissed as hypoxia playing tricks on him? If someone had just frakking listened the few times Gaeta truly needed to be heard?

Angel speaks like a parent might while tending to a skinned knee. Comfort, unconditional. Like there is nothing Gaeta could do to make it turn away.

A keening noise lodges in his throat, reflexively stifled, and then he breaks down in the kind of awful, convulsive sobs that feel like they'll rip his chest open.