[He relishes in the fact that she curls into him. As much as he still runs from her, tries to justify himself, she's always there to protect him from the world. Sometimes, for all of the ways Taako tries to make himself larger than life, it's a kind thing to get to be small.

He breathes steady breaths, chests close, his hands finally moving from being so pressed into himself to rest around and over her as he listens to her words. She's right. She's good at being right about this sort of thing. Taako's horrible with change, especially emotional shifts that are so, so sudden. Dealing with this just feels impossible. Insurmountable. Admitting he himself has changed emotionally is even worse.

How does he approach that, everything he's ever known, and push it aside for one man?]

... Been thinkin' about it for a while.

[It's a begrudging admission, one he hates even admitting to himself. But that's the first step, right? If it can count as a step at all.]

After he. Y'know. When the Null came through.

[When Taako realized he could lose him. When there were stakes. Which is just what she's talking about now, because he might disappear. Hell, Taako might disappear. And what if the world doesn't go this way? What if it just-- doesn't work out?]

... He like, depends on me. He'd give up everything, and I. It's stupid, because how could I not want that? I have this incredibly attractive and powerful dude at my beck and call and I don't want him to do that? How fucked up.

[Another sigh.]

He's gonna find out I can't-- support him like that, you know? When's he gonna get tired and find out I'm... me.