[ it is with a soft hum that he tilts his head into the touch, closing his eyes for a moment, to focus on nothing else but the sensation of the hand in his hair, in the way he can feel it. and it is because of that focus that he says, almost absently, ] I almost didn't.

[ and then he blinks his eyes open, sharp and sudden, because shit, he didn't mean to say that — but he did, and he can't take it back, so he hastens to add, ] But then Jinx showed up. I owe her twice over, now. [ she'd been there for him when he was reliving his death, and then now prevented him from experiencing an entirely new one.

in the end, maybe it doesn't matter, what could have happened; not when it didn't, not when he's here, now. he did make it back, and he has no intentions of leaving again. with a sigh, he lets his eyes fall closed for a second, two, three, before junpei's voice makes him open them again and tilt his head so he can gaze at him, the look he gives him soft and tender in the way he only ever directs at junpei and no one else. ]

... Yeah. Yeah, I promise. [ a moment passes where he simply keeps looking at junpei, and then, ]

But next time, I won't leave you. Either we both stay, or we both go, yeah? Cause I don't ever wanna do this again. [ 'this' meaning 'be apart for days at a time'. ]