"I'm surprised we haven't run into any kangaroos."

"Did you want to?"

Sousuke shrugs. "I think it'd be cool to see one up close."

"You know they kick, right?"

He pats his abs. "I'm pretty dense. I think I could take it."

Haru scoffs. "They can hold themselves up by their own tails. You don't stand a chance."

"Hey. I doubted the strength of your little toothpick arms, and you proved me wrong. Don't underestimate me."

"Alright fine. Then I hope we come across kangaroos, so that you can get your ass kicked, and I can say I told you so."

"Yeah, right."

They've been walking for probably another half-hour now, and the night seems to have settled around them. It's actually been a rather peaceful stroll, since they left the snake block. There's not much to see except for the lights slowly growing closer in the distance, but Haru finds he doesn't mind all that much, because they're able to carry out a normal conversation, probably for the first time since never. And he figures Sousuke can be accommodating when he wants to be.

It's not like they've never been able to relax in the same space. It's just that they're never usually left alone like this. The only times they're typically by themselves is whenever Sousuke feels the need to reinforce his dominance with fresh threats. Otherwise, they usually have the mediation of their friends between them, assuring that they behave themselves and don't rip each other's lungs out.

Haru's surprised, to say the least, that that hasn't happened yet. Not that they haven't been close to it at all over the course of the night. Haru still hasn't quite forgiven Sousuke for using him as bait for the dingoes, but he's maybe a tiny bit more inclined to consider Sousuke's insistence that "it wasn't on purpose" as a possibility. But that's all.

"Fuck, I'm starving," Sousuke sighs.

"Mm."

"How long have we even been out here?"

"I dunno. What time is it? Do we have service yet?"

Sousuke pulls out his phone to check, and then stops in the middle of the road again. "Fucking hell," he groans, tipping his head back.

"What?"

"It's dead."

"It's dead?"

"That's what I just said."

"How is it dead? What, did you forget to charge it this morning?"

"We've only been wandering around out here for hours, Nanase. How long do you expect it to stick around? Phone batteries are shit."

"Well damn," Haru says with a sarcastic lift to his brow. "If only we had two phones. Then we could probably use the other one to get us the fuck home."

Sousuke's eyes drop back into a soft glare. His jaw buckles. "I'm sorry, alright?"

"No you're not," Haru huffs. He turns away and keeps walking. Sousuke follows.

"Well, it's not like you were asking for it or anything," he argues, coming up on Haru's shoulder again. "You were only intentionally trying to get under my skin, rattling off shit about me to Tachibana."

"What do you care what he thinks of you?" Haru shoots back. "Makoto doesn't conform to my attitude anyway. He was actually trying to defend you."

"Well thank goodness for that. You know, I said I didn't understand why you two are friends, but now it makes perfect sense. You needed the most uncorruptable person that the angels could possibly make to come and feed you with a silver spoon. I just feel bad that Makoto had to give up whatever life he could have had to have to be that for you."

"You know what," Haru stops again, and this time he's seething with a real actual sting that he actually allows to show on his actual face. His chest pulls with air.

"Fuck you. Alright? This is what I'm talking about. We were fine two seconds ago, actually carrying out a normal conversation probably for the first time ever, then one little thing sets you off, and now you're gaslighting me for poisoning my best friend's life with my own existence. How is that fair? That actually hurts, you know. You have no idea what Makoto and I have been through. I know I hold him back. That's one of the things that kills me about being with him. I'm always terrified that he could be doing so much more good without me. Except I actually happen to need him, and he needs me too. He forces me to accept that every day, and he doesn't let me feel guilty about it either. It's just a little bit difficult to stay sure about that, when assholes like you throw it back in my face, because then that just makes it real, and I know it's not a thing I'm making up in my own head, even though he says it is. And I just want …"

He huffs out a breath, and then turns away and continues walking much quicker this time, because his throat is tight and his eyes are burning. Sousuke follows, and Haru holds himself together with his arms, curling into his own body as much as he can to keep himself protected.

"Nanase … Nanase … Hey, I'm sorry, alright?"

"Fuck you. You are not."

Sousuke scoffs. "Well fine, don't take my word for it then."

"You wouldn't say shit like that if you didn't mean it!" Haru snaps. "I know you're not sorry, because it's true. Maybe you'll keep the next comment to yourself, that doesn't mean you're not thinking it. I make fun of you and act stubborn to piss you off, but at least I don't aim for your fucking heart."

"Nanase —"

"Don't touch me." He yanks his shoulder away from Sousuke's reaching hand and moves to the very edge of the road, lengthening his stride to get away quicker.

Sousuke doesn't say anything else, nor does he try to apologize again. Haru just keeps his teeth gritted and his head down, and they walk the rest of the way in another uncomfortable silence.