[Ryou doesn't have pity in his eyes. He hates pity, and hates to pity others in turn, because of how disrespectful it feels to him, personally.
But he does feel guilt when Komaeda says he's good at reminding him of things he doesn't want to think about, and he almost apologizes, but then catches himself, and instead...goes down a different track.]
This is because of me. I wanted to call you here, when Atem brought it up, because I thought you might prefer to be present, instead of left out. I don't want to take your agency away from you--but maybe that was just me projecting how I feel about it.
[Ryou's legs draw up to his chest, and he lets out a huffing sigh through his nose. This wasn't going well at all, and he shares blame in the matter.]
Unfortunately, I don't really know yet, what's alright and what's not. I don't know if we all have to date each other, or anything. I know Hinata probably doesn't hate me, but Lila might, for what I did in January, so that matters. The only thing I can speak to is that I want us three to be open with each other. I don't want to feel left out, or forgotten. And I don't think I will be.
[Slowly, he turns to look at Atem, and although he wants to curl up close to the other, to bury his face in Atem's chest and just breathe him in, lose himself in the scent of someone who is his, and who he belongs to...he instead just smiles fondly again, and his tail tip wags gently.]
I'm not afraid that you'll forget me, Atem. Or that you'll do something to hurt me. I know that you love me, because you tell me, and you make me believe it even when I don't love myself.
That's plenty. It's a lot already.
[He doesn't mean to ignore Komaeda when he speaks, but Ryou really hasn't been putting much attention on Atem, and he doesn't want to exclude him just to make Komaeda feel less jealous. That's not fair...to any of them.
Though he does add:]
Life is too short, memories endangered and nothing is permanent. We should reach for what we want, and achieve our hopes as best we can.
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But he does feel guilt when Komaeda says he's good at reminding him of things he doesn't want to think about, and he almost apologizes, but then catches himself, and instead...goes down a different track.]
This is because of me. I wanted to call you here, when Atem brought it up, because I thought you might prefer to be present, instead of left out. I don't want to take your agency away from you--but maybe that was just me projecting how I feel about it.
[Ryou's legs draw up to his chest, and he lets out a huffing sigh through his nose. This wasn't going well at all, and he shares blame in the matter.]
Unfortunately, I don't really know yet, what's alright and what's not. I don't know if we all have to date each other, or anything. I know Hinata probably doesn't hate me, but Lila might, for what I did in January, so that matters. The only thing I can speak to is that I want us three to be open with each other. I don't want to feel left out, or forgotten. And I don't think I will be.
[Slowly, he turns to look at Atem, and although he wants to curl up close to the other, to bury his face in Atem's chest and just breathe him in, lose himself in the scent of someone who is his, and who he belongs to...he instead just smiles fondly again, and his tail tip wags gently.]
I'm not afraid that you'll forget me, Atem. Or that you'll do something to hurt me. I know that you love me, because you tell me, and you make me believe it even when I don't love myself.
That's plenty. It's a lot already.
[He doesn't mean to ignore Komaeda when he speaks, but Ryou really hasn't been putting much attention on Atem, and he doesn't want to exclude him just to make Komaeda feel less jealous. That's not fair...to any of them.
Though he does add:]
Life is too short, memories endangered and nothing is permanent. We should reach for what we want, and achieve our hopes as best we can.