[ What a good time to grab their own cup before it cools too far to be drinkable. It's totally not just an excuse to pause before they speak, because, well...

If ever they needed to get something right on the first try, it'd be now. It might not survive a second attempt. ]

...Just because it's unthinking doesn't mean it doesn't have a point. [ Staring deeply into the teacup means they don't have to look anybody in the eye, right? Right. ] Even though, um.

[ ... there's no eloquent way to put this ffffffffff-- ]

... I wish you hadn't tried to die for me.

[ Oh. ]

Because then I'd be left alone, and I don't think-- no, I don't want to do this on my own. A-anymore, I mean.

[ Oh.

It's dumb, really. They know from before that it's at least somewhat mutual - thinking otherwise would cause another shouting match, and they're not that dense - but a part of them still has to acknowledge that they've known each other for, like. A week at best. The world's longest week, but it's still a week.

But surely everything in that week counts for something, right? ]