[ oh. oh... well. that's, uh, that's a lot. it's a little funny how leo lamented for being terrible with words when it comes to comforting izumi, but he managed to hit the nail on the head. izumi has never felt so warm, even with their shared body heat, and when he speaks he just can't help but sound a little choked up. i mean, who wouldn't? ]

You're... You're really going to make me cry again, you know?

[ stupid.

but he gets it. and it's a relief that it was all a bad dream albeit with severe consequences, because what are the odds of izumi not waking up after falling off the literal deep end? he'll never be able to hold leo like this, something that he never thought of doing even when they were sharing a roof in florence. cooking, cleaning, leo-sweetening -- he wouldn't be able to do that again if he's not careful.

and thus, bit by bit, he opens himself a little to leo, his first, dearest friend. ]

...I missed you too. I thought I lost you forever the first time, back in our second year. And I kept hoping that you'll come back, even if you won't be the same after that. [ he swallows down the residual guilt from that incident, and presses on. ] It almost happened again in our sleep, which was out of our own control. It was and wasn't our fault, and we shouldn't forget that. So--

[ for this he pulls his face away to face leo head on, his tear-streaked eyes filled with determination. ]

As much as possible, I don't want to go through something like that again. But I'd fight my way out of hell just to come back to you, Leo-kun. I... You have my word.