[...yeah, all right, that gets Atem cooling off. Ryou's right. There's too much between them for this to be a good idea. His clawed hand, no longer candy, spreads out over Ryou's chest -- he wants this so badly -- then retreats. He shifts back, away, so they're not touching anymore.]

We were closer than that. I wanted to come back...to say that it was all okay, and go back to the way we were.

[His cherry-red eyes look away.]

But...also, I didn't. Because we were close, Ryou, too close -- and my doubts about that are one of the things I wasn't telling you.

[He looks back up.]

Did other friends...did other people come by, while I was gone?

[Please tell him Ryou wasn't here alone, not going out, not sleeping, just being miserable as though he could never be anything else in the absence of Atem.]