"I know it has, baby," Jiang murmurs. Even from behind the wall, he knows that things have been rough while Proko's been finding his feet here in Maryland, and he appreciates that. He doesn't want Proko to suffer for a moment.

"I wish I could do more to help," he says, pressing a kiss against him and moving his hands to hold him around the middle. "But you know Baba would help no matter what. You probably don't even need to ask. Just wish it into the universe."