Freminet was utterly confused—bamboozled, even.

Why were you, of all people, even bothering with him? It didn’t make sense. You were wasting your time, energy, and resources on someone like...

Him...

Someone who couldn’t even talk to a stranger without spiraling into a full-blown panic attack. Someone who was far more comfortable retreating into the quiet comfort of solitude than facing the overwhelming world outside.

And yet, you meant it. Freminet could tell. Your actions, your words, everything about you made it clear that you truly cared. Freminet wasn’t blind to the sincerity in your actions, but instead of comforting him, it only made him feel guiltier. No matter how much you reassured him, no matter how much you gave, it always felt like he was taking more than he could ever give in return.

“You didn’t have to do this for me, you know…” Freminet mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper. He fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve, his gaze fixed firmly on the ground as you stood nearby.

His eyes shifted nervously, his hands fidgeting at his sides as he watched you. "I'd obey you regardless…” he added softly, his words trailing off as if they barely had the strength to escape his lips.