[Silence. It makes sense, yeah. Of course it makes sense and he doesn't move beyond letting his hand crawl over the mattress searching for Dave's to hold. He still doesn't say anything, but there's that.]

...I didn't really know what I was doing with Vic either and we kept going anyway. It was just how things were. [There's a point.] She had more experience than I did at the time so I kind of just followed her lead on stuff and that's why I slept with her after we were dating for, like, eight months. And obviously we did other stuff before that and I just figured nobody knew what they were doing, this was just how things were.

…I don't regret it because it doesn't matter anymore and it's a part of my old life in this lifetime. But I do get what you're saying. I just…I love you. A lot. And I'm not sure how to express it all the time, but I do and so sometimes I think doing stuff like that is the answer.

[He makes a face.] Am I the only one who sees the irony in maybe not being totally ready for physically doing stuff despite the fact we have a fucking house and share a bed? [But he chews his lip.] …as far as I am aware, I like you, I think you are really attractive, and I think about you in that context even if I don't tell you that. So…take that as you will. It doesn't change what I said about staying forever.