[he finds it very hard to keep his eyes fixed on any one point as he listens and absorbs all this, his head tilting down and hiding a good portion of his face in the scarf again.

his eyes are big, blinking often, darting from a corner of her face, some hair caught on the ribbon choker that pulls free when she tilts her head, down to her hands as she moves back and finds his there, too, no longer so ice-cold as they were during the wait. they quake a little after his understanding gets better.

he draws in a breath and holds it, feeling like his chest is going to keep expanding without him, and looks up when he hears it very certainly again in his head: I'll always love you.]

M-me, too! [his eyelid twitches, hearing how loud his voice got just then. his head ducks.] I mean–! That...That I meant what I said! That no matter what... [squeezing her hands in turn, tugging them.] That even if it's not here...So, please don't forget! And I won't, either. [another gulp.] But I, I really...I really want to keep being with you here. For as long as I can! Because I'm happy...and I want you to be happy, too!

[grinning big now, a little panic in his laugh:] I'm really happy, is what I mean...