No, this isn't--

[With a couple of shaky gasps, Boober manages to get his tears and his breathing under at least enough control so that talking isn't as hard.]

Not me. Don't worry about me. [And for all the fear and sorrow in his voice - in every part of him - there's something very earnest in there too, as he says that. And even as he keeps going at a more frantic rate, that remains.] It was-- You died! You, not me. And you were scared, and I-- I knew it, I could tell when you woke up. Something wasn't right, but I got caught up in being happy you were back and worrying about being apart, and-- My stuff! But it wasn't about me then, either! It was fixed, sure, but that doesn't make it less scary-- Most of all not for you. I wasn't even there, but you went through it.

[He gets to his feet, bringing his hands to Riz's face with a ginger touch.]

I don't know if you would've said something about it, no matter what I did, [Because he can't deny that.] but I still should've been there for you first then. I'm sorry I wasn't.

I want to be now.