... I would have been back soon enough, unless everyone left had managed to make an even bigger mess of things.

[ but yet another person calling him friend, and not wanting him to die... his gaze goes a little distant, his usual blankfaced smile that bit much more sad.

there's a reason, after all, that he's never been the first one to extend friendship. Natsuo had been the one to call them that first. anyone else had simply followed Natsuo's precedent. ]

Did you know, Veronica? In my own world, I was always meant to die.