[When they started this, Kaworu told him that they'd hurt one another. That they wouldn't be able to help it, that the nature of the distinction between them as individuals made it inevitable, and Paul had thought he understood. Part of him had.
This is the other part, he realizes, even as it carves a clean line through him, because it's impossible for him to open his chest and let Kaworu see his hand curled around Paul's heart.]
Are you sure it'd be pretending?
[It would be. It is. Paul knows what he is made for. It has nothing to do with the soft tremor in him at the idea that he could be made for anything else.
(But what if he could be? What if a ten thousand year old chain could coil to nothing? If he could be gentle, if he could be careful. If he could be made for the time between storms, and not of them.)]
no subject
This is the other part, he realizes, even as it carves a clean line through him, because it's impossible for him to open his chest and let Kaworu see his hand curled around Paul's heart.]
Are you sure it'd be pretending?
[It would be. It is. Paul knows what he is made for. It has nothing to do with the soft tremor in him at the idea that he could be made for anything else.
(But what if he could be? What if a ten thousand year old chain could coil to nothing? If he could be gentle, if he could be careful. If he could be made for the time between storms, and not of them.)]