[Kashuu sits almost placidly as Souji works his hair straight again, leaning without thought into his touch when he walks paths along his cheek with his fingers-- and then flinches, just a little, when his neck is touched. It's always been a delicate area for him, after Ikedaya. All the talk of reminders and how difficult things are only make that discomfort stand out more, and it's his starvation for contact that keeps him in place rather than the fact that he knows it would hurt Souji more if he broke it.

He supposes this works out well enough for the both of them in the end, though.]

Don't you think you're being a liiittle too hard on yourself? [His former master is an unbearably strong person, after all - (while he may not hero-worship like Yamato, that doesn't mean he's not blind in similar areas) - and he'd gotten along well enough without him before.

...But it's still nice to be needed. It means he won't be discarded again, right? It means he won't have to add any more bitterness to what he's already got. His hand raises, fingertips touching the back of the hand resting at his neck.]

—Anyway! You can rely on me if you need to. As long as I'm here, you won't have to face anything by yourself if you don't want to, okay?