[He might not hear it much at all- but he doesn't say it a lot, either. Perhaps it's his own defence systems kicking in. Protecting his heart with the multiple walls he's built around it. The walls Ruby keeps scaling no matter how much barbed wire he puts at the top or however many extra layers he adds to them. She just wiggles through every single damn time. Despite all the warnings signs he keeps putting up that any sane person would have paid attention to by now and bailed.
That old, horrible feeling of unworthiness creeps up into his mind again. He doesn't deserve her- he doesn't deserve to hear those words from her. She deserves so much better than him. He very almost says that. It would be kinder, in the long run. Cut her loose so he can save her from himself. Before he really hurts her.
He doesn't though- he can't bring those words to his lips. Instead, he says truer, more real words. Words that utterly terrify him, but likely the most honest thing he's said in weeks.]
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That old, horrible feeling of unworthiness creeps up into his mind again. He doesn't deserve her- he doesn't deserve to hear those words from her. She deserves so much better than him. He very almost says that. It would be kinder, in the long run. Cut her loose so he can save her from himself. Before he really hurts her.
He doesn't though- he can't bring those words to his lips. Instead, he says truer, more real words. Words that utterly terrify him, but likely the most honest thing he's said in weeks.]
I love you, too.