[It's less that he isn't willing to talk about it with her-- the fact he's talking at all, and only to her, is important-- but he just doesn't have the words. He doesn't know what to say. For Taako, who tries to know himself to bullshit even harder, he doesn't know how to even describe these feelings.

But he listens, doesn't move, stays close. And finally, when she comes in close to his nose, he looks up and into her eyes. It takes him a moment where he opens his mouth to speak and hesitates. And then, tries again.]

... Yeah. Yeah, I...

[Taako feels like he's being choked, like his heart's going to thrum out of his chest. How does he deal with this. How does anyone deal with this.]

You... know I've never been good at that. Letting people get... close, and.

[And care about you, he thinks, because if people really gave a shit they'd stick around, right, and it's only been her, but Kravitz keeps coming back and trying so hard and all Taako has ever done is make it harder and harder and harder.]

I don't want to lose him. And I could, and. Ugh, I feel like a fucking idiot. He'd probably just laugh at me if I said this, except no he wouldn't, he'd do something fuckin' sweet like hug me and I'd just die immediately.