[ the look junpei gives him makes charles feel almost warm, or as close to it as he can — and it, too, fills him with that same kind of awe, that junpei looks at him with so much love and tenderness, like he's somehow precious. and really, the only thing to do is to drop another kiss on top of his head, then, coupled with a warm smile.

and uh, yeah, actually, ]

You know what week. [ so yes, it is in fact that week. ] I know it's weird, seeing how you weren't exactly in your right mind for half of it, but the half that you were... [ well. it's shit like that that really shows what people are like, and what he saw of junpei, then — isolating himself to avoid hurting anyone, talking about his own sort-of-deaths like he didn't really matter, somehow managing to find levity in the entire situation despite it all... how could he not have loved him with his whole damn soul since then?

he tries to encompass all of this in one soft smile and a shrug. ]

It's okay, [ he says then, wryly, ] Not like I realised it either, not until after the festival. [ which is a whole another thing, and he sounds distinctly embarrassed about this. not about the fact that it took him so long to figure out his own feelings, but more that he had to have someone spell it out for him... ]