[ he says he isn't naive; cloud knows that too. that some people had the confidence to not be so predisposed to maintaining their guard every second of every hour. that some people weren't so fragile as he was -- and wouldn't fracture at a brush of the fingers.

cloud stops. his gaze drops, the shame hovering over him, the facade peeling away bit by bit. "why does that matter?" "that's a stupid question." "maybe. who knows?" a plethora of answers come to surface, but neither of them make it out of the confines of his mind. ]

...No.

[ he says that firmly. it shocks even himself. his palms are flat against roche's shoulders, fingers curling tightly in an iron grip. ]

...I don't want to do that to you.

[ ... ]

But you'd be surprised -- what people out there will do, even if they care... even if they give a shit.

[ his breath lingers against the column of roche's throat. for a moment, he visibly sizes him up, clearly absorbed in the sight of his features, engrossed in those mako eyes again. he studies the hard lines of his face, the way they soften even in the recessed light, how he hasn't quite lost himself to the behemoth that is SOLDIER yet-- ]

...Plenty of people have suffered because of me.

[ ... ]

I'm... I'm not stupid enough to deny that.