[ as it ends on his end, ichiro's left sort of stunned, and then, he glances down at mabel. he feels this ache of - shame, almost, because his dirty secrets are being aired out like someone's laundry. he works hard, and he's on the right side of the law now, but it took so long to get there, and he went through every possible obstacle along the way. he doesn't really want someone like mabel to think of him like that (he went to every painstaking method he could to try and keep it from his brothers, to try and protect them from the knowledge of the things their brother has done), and ichiro opens his mouth to try and decide what to say -
but then he doesn't get to, because she hugs him. ichiro looks down, his hands still half hovering, expression shifting into surprise. there's a beat, and emotion squeezes hard at his heart, and ichiro leans over to return the hug, warm as ever, his fingers curling tight in her sweater. ]
...It's okay, Mabel-chan. Hey, it's... it's okay. [ his voice is soft, rough with a little emotion, and he squeezes tight, eyes closing for a moment with the weight of this little hug that feels a little bit like an acceptance he never really knew.]
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but then he doesn't get to, because she hugs him. ichiro looks down, his hands still half hovering, expression shifting into surprise. there's a beat, and emotion squeezes hard at his heart, and ichiro leans over to return the hug, warm as ever, his fingers curling tight in her sweater. ]
...It's okay, Mabel-chan. Hey, it's... it's okay. [ his voice is soft, rough with a little emotion, and he squeezes tight, eyes closing for a moment with the weight of this little hug that feels a little bit like an acceptance he never really knew.]