[Darin stares at her. The edge in his eyes is gone, replaced with a mixture of confusion and incredulity.]
...Why?
[He doesn't understand. How could he? As far as he's concerned the only person who might miss him was in another world entirely. Acteon freed him from his prison transport. He sacrificed his own freedom because he believed Darin could find who framed him. He doesn't even know where Acteon was at that moment and the more he thought about it, the more tears stung his eyes.]
[Stubbornly, he shakes them out and returns Zelda's declaration with a hardened stare.]
Why the hell would you?? Because I saved you once? Because...Because I said we were friends? What possible investment could you have in me that you'd miss me when you've only barely learned who I am! What I can do!
[For all his protests, he's still standing, rooted in place. Desperation creeps into his body language— he pivots like he's looking for a way out. He shifts his weight back and forth between his feet and his hand constantly finds its way to comb through his damnable blue hair.]
I'm just one man. One stupid, cowardly man. I've run from everything! Hell, I'm trying to run from you right now!
[The tone of his voice shifts to pleading. Because something tells him that if he doesn't push her away right this moment, then he won't be able to walk away. And that, inevitably, he will hurt her. He hurts everyone. He's literally fated to do so.]
no subject
...Why?
[He doesn't understand. How could he? As far as he's concerned the only person who might miss him was in another world entirely. Acteon freed him from his prison transport. He sacrificed his own freedom because he believed Darin could find who framed him. He doesn't even know where Acteon was at that moment and the more he thought about it, the more tears stung his eyes.]
[Stubbornly, he shakes them out and returns Zelda's declaration with a hardened stare.]
Why the hell would you?? Because I saved you once? Because...Because I said we were friends? What possible investment could you have in me that you'd miss me when you've only barely learned who I am! What I can do!
[For all his protests, he's still standing, rooted in place. Desperation creeps into his body language— he pivots like he's looking for a way out. He shifts his weight back and forth between his feet and his hand constantly finds its way to comb through his damnable blue hair.]
I'm just one man. One stupid, cowardly man. I've run from everything! Hell, I'm trying to run from you right now!
[The tone of his voice shifts to pleading. Because something tells him that if he doesn't push her away right this moment, then he won't be able to walk away. And that, inevitably, he will hurt her. He hurts everyone. He's literally fated to do so.]
You don't owe me anything. You're better off.