[almost too quickly, Tsukasa lifts his head, breaks the tenuous connection between them even though he was the one who came here searching for that physical touch, but he can't quite help the steel in his voice because:]

You don't get to say it like that.

[Leo of all people doesn't get to say it like that. even if he's trying to be a leader now, it's -

it's not what Tsukasa wants, for once. normally, he'd be excited to have Leo acting properly, trying to put Knights first and think of them as a proper King would. but for once Tsukasa didn't want to talk about this in the perspective of his king, but rather in the lens of someone he loves and someone who loves him but

it really seems like the universe doesn't want to give Tsukasa wants he wants lately, so why did he even hope?

(because Leo is unpredictable, yes, but he's always been there whenever Tsukasa needed him. which is perhaps the greatest irony in this, because for once Leo is still standing right where he always has been and Tsukasa is the one who has to drift away)]

I would never leave Knights by choice - if I had any say in it...! So don't say something so foolish!

[I'm not like you. I don't run when I get scared.]

Of course that's the first thing you would think of....