Ryouma's thoughts shattered and scattered when Kakashi moved and Tsume tucked against him. He couldn't stabilize her. He couldn't let her fall. He couldn't touch her, and she wouldn't stop touching him.

She didn't have any idea what she was doing. Couldn't. She was drugged to the gills--

But even drugs couldn't make you say something you didn't mean.

He took a breath that seared his lungs and the backs of his eyes. "Still a ninja. Always. They can't take that from me. Just--"

want to be human, too. To be allowed to care.

To live the kind of life where I love you didn't always mean good-bye.

He found another breath, somewhere, and held it. His heart was still beating; he was almost surprised. Slowly, so slowly that the veins and tendons sprang out on his forearm as he fought against his muscles, he unclenched his right hand. His fingers trembled like aspen leaves in the breeze. Blood dripped down his wrist, and dried red smeared the pad of his index finger.

"Don't want to hurt my friends."