(He tenses, instinctively prickling at even more touch otherwise doesn't move. A completely captive audience, he listens and feels the need turn the words back. If he accepts them, that makes it all real and he doesn't want want to think about it.)

He said I was good. 'S why... he always took care of me. Even when I was no good and broke he took care of me.

(It feels like it takes everything in him to string words together. It reminds him of the first time he was summoned when he found himself taking in his first breath and feeling his first words take form and sound from his mouth. )

Told me to leave in case... he lost himself again but...

(He can't even see anymore. His eyes feel hot and all he sees is a blur. He feels like he's holding something back and he raises his head just slightly to stop whatever is in his eyes from falling.

This all feels familiar to him. It's different but it reminds him so much of his first feelings when he was summoned.

The feeling of his heart pounding in his chest
The blood roaring in his ears
The way he feels like he can't even see
The way he just wants to reach out and grab a hold of something
Hearing words and trying to understand the meaning
Feeling the weight of his words in his mouth.
The way his chest rises and his breath shakes when he takes a breath
And finally... the way he felt like he could cry out.

It had all been so overwhelming and he hadn't understood it all at that moment but maybe... when he felt all of what it meant to be human-- to have humanity-- what he'd wanted to do was

what he wants to do right now is

what he does right now is

cry.)