I click my tongue dismissively at his praise, my ears going red completely against my will. There's still a tight lump of twisted up emotions inside my chest, and I still feel shaky, uncertain, and lost.

I just can't deal with the thought of Eiji feelings guilty about my sacrifice. He shouldn't. That wasn't the point.

I kiss him, soft and slow, my hands coming up to cup his face as I settle down against him again. The knot in my chest starts to unravel, and I can feel tears coming on again. He's so... he's so stupid, and now he doesn't have OOO anymore, but he's going to keep fighting because that just the way he is.

He's going to get himself killed. And he's going to leave me. And I know, I know I did the same thing to him. I died, I left him behind literally holding the pieces, and it's only through some twist of fate that we're together again.

But I just... I can't lose him like he lost me. It's selfish, but it's honest.

I break the kiss to compose myself a little, keep my eyes mostly dry. I kiss across his cheek to his ear, my voice wavering as I whisper. "Tell me you love me again."