I'm not asking for your forgiveness. I don't want it. I... really screwed up this time.

[It was all he could say, really, but he meant every word. This proud young man who rarely gave way for anyone, who dug his heels in firmly to the ground he stood on he usually hurt himself in his own stubbornness, had no excuse for his words.

Because there was no way to explain what frightened him without exposing things he wasn't ready to say. It was one thing to say them to Haruhi, to a source that, if she told anyone, would be dismissed. Tamaki Suoh was quite another matter.

And yet, it hurt far more than anything had in a long time to know what he had done, how far he'd gone in protecting himself, in denying what he was. He hadn't touched the cup of tea he'd brought for himself, and he rose without doing so. It was an insult to sit here and drink it, act like this was some friendly quarrel.]

I just needed to say it to you.

I'm sorry.

[That was all he could do without making an imposition of himself. Further. So, he gave a small, formal bow and headed for the door.]