I... [ What was this idiot getting embarrassed for? He was getting married in a month, and he was still flushed like Tim had asked him to space prom. ] It's why I asked if you'd come back with me. I knew I wanted to take ya home.

But it's a lot to ask someone, y'know? A whole other country, another planet, way in the past... and I ain't a nice, respectable doctor.

[ Which was probably what Tim deserved, right? A happy, stable life with someone who wouldn't worry him by getting into shirtless knife fights. Not that Majima would give him up now, not for anyone. ]

Had it in the back of my mind for a while, but I thought... uh, a lot of things, I guess.

[ Mostly, when someone hinted at the subject, Majima got flustered or gave it the brush-off. Never really took things as seriously as he could have, not even bothering to examine what he wanted, which always seemed so far-off and impossible. Sure, some cute gal might look at him with stars in her eyes, but was she really seeing him? Or was she too dazzled by the smile and the sense of danger? The way he filled out a sleek suit and listened to what she said, instead of forgetting her birthday or that daffodils made her sneeze?

For most, it was better to move on to a man who wouldn't come home soaked in seawater, sporting a gunshot wound to the abdomen. But -- ]

I thought I could make you happy.

[ And that was all he really wanted. Stupid little things, like holding Tim's hand and going for walks and seeing the bullman smile up at him like Majima mattered, like it was a good thing he was alive beyond how useful he was or how many bodies he could leave in his wake. ]