ahahaha keywords

[Souji often tries to cover up any negative emotions, out of compassion of consideration for those who might otherwise worry, and also because he really doesn't like being treated as if he's fragile, weak. But he's not actually very good at it; his childlike disposition seems to spill over into his ability to deceive and misdirect, and he often comes off as rather painfully obvious.

Now as he flinches, he can't even manage a smile, can't find any words which will redirect and cover up. His spirit; his life neatly contained in one place, short as it must be. He hopes the other man's compassion will mean that he won't say anything about how his life ends - he can guess, but he doesn't want it to be true. If he's to die, he wants to die in battle, not slowly fading away in a sickbed.]

I'm... sorry. [He can't rightly say why he's apologizing, other than that someone else had to bear a burden which was rightly his, and because of what sounds like misfortune rather than choice.] I can't imagine it was anything like a fair trade. [A pale smile.] Even if it hopefully wasn't all bad. [He's had a lot of happiness in his life as well... although of course it might have been different in the other man's world.]