For a moment the shadows around him seemed to have deepened and darkened and he wanted to fade into them, away from her eyes, away from everyone's eyes...
But warm hands grabbed for his and Maru looked up, startled as the darkness around him faded slightly. His hands were limp within hers, but his gaze was fixed upon Madoka. He clung to her words. It was hard for him to believe them... Just as it had been when Mahiru had wanted them to be partners. It was so hard to think there was a place for him anywhere, when he had tried so hard to pull himself out of the flow of the world.
And then she said it. The same words Mahiru had said. Partner. Friend.
Little by little this girl, his Eve, had chipped away at the walls he'd surrounded himself in, much the same way Mahiru had tried. She had taken up where his first Eve had left and bit by bit he could feel it all crumbling around him. And it scared him. But there was a small part of him that was strangely excited... He didn't really know what was beyond those walls. Who was he, but a monster? What could he be?
What he did know for sure, was that he loved this girl. He loved her kindness, he loved how she could look through him and see things no one else, not even he, could see. He loved the earnest way she looked at him as she held his hands, willing him to believe her. And when he looked into those big, pink eyes, he could almost believe her.
Finally he tore his gaze from hers to look down at her hands on his. Slowly he turned his hands until he could hold them in return.
"I can be happy with that." He spoke, quiet but loud enough for Madoka to hear him. "I can learn where I stand in this world if I stand by you. If I'm not a monster... I wanna know what I am. And I think you can help me. I think I can learn..."
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But warm hands grabbed for his and Maru looked up, startled as the darkness around him faded slightly. His hands were limp within hers, but his gaze was fixed upon Madoka. He clung to her words. It was hard for him to believe them... Just as it had been when Mahiru had wanted them to be partners. It was so hard to think there was a place for him anywhere, when he had tried so hard to pull himself out of the flow of the world.
And then she said it. The same words Mahiru had said. Partner. Friend.
Little by little this girl, his Eve, had chipped away at the walls he'd surrounded himself in, much the same way Mahiru had tried. She had taken up where his first Eve had left and bit by bit he could feel it all crumbling around him. And it scared him. But there was a small part of him that was strangely excited... He didn't really know what was beyond those walls. Who was he, but a monster? What could he be?
What he did know for sure, was that he loved this girl. He loved her kindness, he loved how she could look through him and see things no one else, not even he, could see. He loved the earnest way she looked at him as she held his hands, willing him to believe her. And when he looked into those big, pink eyes, he could almost believe her.
Finally he tore his gaze from hers to look down at her hands on his. Slowly he turned his hands until he could hold them in return.
"I can be happy with that." He spoke, quiet but loud enough for Madoka to hear him. "I can learn where I stand in this world if I stand by you. If I'm not a monster... I wanna know what I am. And I think you can help me. I think I can learn..."