i need you so much closer

So the absence of warmth he had felt was Usagi and not just his imagination. Despite everything confirming that his friend had the same feelings that Kunai had for the smaller man, he would never get the words his parents said to him out of his head and it made him second guess everything. Certainly the man had only wanted to help his friend recover and nothing more, because who would want anything more with another man?

Usagi continued and a weight lifted off of the chimera man's chest immediately, worried moments before that he would be forced to leave as soon as he was well or worse, forced back to Iga. Not only that, but Usagi wanted him here, too. He still couldn't get around the hurdle he, or rather his parents, placed before himself to do anything about his feelings, but it still felt good knowing that he was wanted here. There was only a moment of silence before he spoke again, admitting a deeper want for him to stay. His breathing momentarily hitched in his throat, but he wouldn't allow himself to think it was anything more than just friendly.

"Of course not," he started and cleared his throat before speaking more, but it was still dry. "I'd want to collect on saving someone else's life too." A lazy, toothy grin flashed across his face briefly but it was exactly that - brief. Despite being happy that he could stay in Tōjō-kai and that Usagi wanted him to stay (even if his own brain was telling him it was for platonic reasons), there was a sadness in his eyes still.

"Speech!"

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