i need you. and i think that if you thought about it you'd know you need me too.

Dante deserved all this, any harsh words from Cody. And because it was him, it hurt, but at the same time felt justified. Dante quieted down for the disappointed looks and the scoldings, head going a bit fuzzy for a moment. Cody was a good person. He probably wouldn't do anything more than that, even if it was something Dante should- everything is fine.

"N-no that's not," Dante stuttered a bit, voice nearing a bit of a whine before he snapped his mouth shut again in embarrassment. "Cody, the last time I've really been... myself, whatever that is, was um. More than just a little while ago, it was when I was a kid. And those around me made it clear that... that wasn't okay." His eyes got rounder. He stopped to laugh a little, clearly forced sounding. "I'm a little out of practice. And out of anyone, you're the one I want to hate me the least. I don't want to ruin things more." Confusion swirled again. "But... it sounds like you'll hate me if I don't try, too. It'll be hate either way. Uh... hm." His thoughts were so jumbled. Even more so when they were actually made into words- they weren't meant to be, he was too sick to be allowed to- he wasn't sick.

Dante cupped Cody's face lightly and focused on not letting his fingers tremble. He tried to think. "I don't know, I ah. I'd do anything for you as long as I knew you weren't going to leave me for it. And I'd try, I really would, to tell and show you everything, even the things I haven't let myself think about, but I can't- I can't do it here. I'm not even sure I can do it all at once. But I can try." Dante let his guard down in his expression and eyes, despite how uncomfortable he felt doing so in public.

Dante didn't feel good, the mix of grossness and butterflies in his stomach continuing to flutter about. But he didn't want this to end, never, never never never. Cody was stunning and meaningful and it hurt, so very much, but in a way that made him feel like being alive wasn't completely worthless. This man's existence made him want to keep existing as well, perhaps as something brighter than he'd ever been.

Even though Dante, no matter how much he tried not to be, was something dark.

And Cody still wanted closer?

Dante exhaled, searching the other's face for some sign he wasn't telling the truth, but… no, it seemed genuine, what was being said. He'd always been hyperaware of such things, really, just as a survival-

Cody's problems, his secrets, just seemed beautiful to Dante.

He nodded slowly along, listening intently to the words being said, settling them in as a reassuring presence in his mind. He knew, vaguely, that such a promise could be broken easily. But he pretended it couldn't be, and smiled.

"You still love me?" Dante asked, latching onto what had been said, 'when you love someone, you also love their dark side'. He blushed like a teenager at his own question, immediately regretting it, his pushing things so much again- as well as being reminded of his own childish fantasies. "…no, I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that."

He was stiff for a moment, unsure what the next move was, thoughts a bit stunted. His body was half ready to stand up, but still sitting, not yet actually having gone through with it. "I'm sorry," he said again, automatically. "but I can't say, or show, a lot of things here." The whole intent behind meeting here was for it to be public, for Cody to feel safe and have escape routes, but now things had changed. "We'll have to, uh, if you really want to…" He blinked, then laughed, more pleasant memories rising up. Nostalgia. "Um. Basically. Your place, or mine?"