[Blade's fingers twitch beneath Dan Heng's hand, until he turns his palm over so he can hold the Vidyadhara's hand. He feels his cheeks pinken and ignores it, just like he's ignoring the slow swish of his tail.

This... isn't about him. Dan Heng is talking about someone he knew, not a phantom from his past life.

Blade listens.]

... I'm sorry you lost him.

[Whoever he was, friend or family, he was obviously very dear to Dan Heng.]

I don't know if you could ever make me feel that way. I'm... grateful that you think of me at all. [It sounds a little pathetic when he says that out loud.] You've only ever made me feel... cared about, in this life. Even when I didn't understand it at all.

[He takes a deep breath.]

... Dan Heng. I can't promise that I won't ever take risks. I know the kind of person I am, and I won't hesitate if it's something I know I can do.

[...]

But I can be a little more careful. I need to learn how to fight with my own strength, rather than depending on anything the beast has given me. If that means letting you fight for me sometimes, I will simply have to get over it, or else find a different way to help.