[ oh good. letting his hand settle against his chest. there's a part of him that doesn't want to speak - he's afraid to dip his toes into the water - but it's far too late by this point and here, he's finally getting it off his chest, if he doesn't say it now when will he ever get to say it again? ]

......... We're friends, you know? Friends - friends protect each other. So - so . . . you . . . you know?

I'll rely on you . . . so you can . . . rely on me.

[ his tone drops off, confidence tapering off - he's not . . . reliable, he feels like he's lying through his teeth but he wants it to be true. he'll get stronger, he'll do what he has to in order to become a reliable person, so - ]