"We could just get a fucking drink," he offers, feeling more than a little pathetic. "I'm sorry, really--I'm a fucking asshole. You know that. But we're here, and I just." He lets out a sigh that feels as though it's edging into hysteria, and he hopes it isn't that obvious.

"I wanna be with you. And I'd kinda like to see if I can do that without fucking torturing you." He smiles thinly. "Y'know. Eventually."