[ Akira takes a breath again, steadying and careful, and then leans in to press his forehead onto Akechi's shoulder until he can manage to come up with a response. His eyes feel warm and his throat feels thick, and he thinks they made it a record several days with neither of them crying before they both cried on a bathroom floor in Leblanc, and he's not sure if that's a good track record or a worse one.

Finally, he pulls back, looking at Akechi again. ]

But I'm giving me to you. And I -- I want to give you whatever you want. I want to be able to make you happy, even if it's only a little. Even -- even now, when I'm worried and scared, I don't think about a life without you. I think about talking to you. When Ann goes abroad, or if Makoto gets sick, or Haru is stressed opening a new cafe -- I want to talk about those things with you. I want you to be there with me for all of them.

You're -- you're allowed to want things. You're allowed to have them. I kicked god's ass once, so I'm allowed to give you permission.