[There's no reason to hide such things anymore. He knows he's shot himself in the foot by keeping others at arm's length here. There's still a chance for him to fix that, but if he fails at it then at least he'll still have Akira for better or worse.
And. Oh. Affection. Right, that's something friends do, isn't it? It shouldn't be as startling as it is, and yet he can't seem to chase off the slight tightness that squeezes at his chest.]
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And. Oh. Affection. Right, that's something friends do, isn't it? It shouldn't be as startling as it is, and yet he can't seem to chase off the slight tightness that squeezes at his chest.]
Good.
[A breath, then:]
It really is his loss, though.