[ He's glancing over at Makoto now, and what the geist says is probably the first thing that makes him smile even if he still looks and feels like a wreck.

Walking back and sinking down beside the other man, he sighs. ]

What Brianna said, hurt. [ He's lookong down at his hands as he says this. ] I thought that... since she's essentially his daughter -- she'd get it, you know? [ He's pressing his lips together a moment as he arranges the things he wants to say in his head and tries to align them as much as possible with what he feels in his heart.

Sadly, the pieces aren't coming up right. And there's a pained look that crosses Josh's features, but he swallows it down and breathes out. ]

She told me there are no perfect friendships. And... [ breathe in, breathe out, Josh, no one's rushing you ] She's right.

[ He turns his gaze to Makoto, tries for a smile that says he agrees, but it stops short of his eyes. ]

It's not a perfect friendship. [ But the intensity of it... ] We just... maybe it's just me. You know him better. But he knows my tells, and I'm good with that. Even in the beginning, he'd send these random, weirdly psychic-ish messages and I'd be okay with them. They didn't freak me out. They never felt like he was intruding.

Or maybe I just that way because... Sin-Eater, right? Gotta get used to the constant presence of your geist. I mean, he used to be a Bladian. And sure, he doesn't have a bloodsinger taking up space in the attic, but he does have Death.

[ He hangs his head again. He's sorry, Makoto. He hedges deliberately when he's still working around the problem. ]