[Without a word spoken, he turns his hands to clasp hers. She had bridged the gap and he's starving to have this kind of contact. Just this. It's enough. His smile is a bit more brittle. She keeps saying exactly the words that communicate to him she gets it.]

Cilan isn't like that. He seems to commit completely to any venture he makes. But you're not wrong. The way Hinata is... Despite the hurts I still love that about him. He tries and tries and never gives up. But he's not sure of himself as he might claim he is. So he tends to doubt himself or lack awareness where the rest of us can see.

And let's...not lie. I'm not the easiest of people to deal with. Our history makes it all worse. [But sometimes it hadn't seemed to matter at all. In those moments there had been bliss. He loves and will never regret the moments like that.] But you're right as well about me. I never see the point in stepping back. The road is ahead, and dwelling on past things never did much good for me.

So I don't. [The road behind him is littered with corpses.]