[ It's an apt comparison. Even when Ryo was young, he could never quite bridge the gap. When Akira first held out his hand to him, Ryo (who would deny it) had been too afraid to initiate the first brush of skin. Even with his fingertips so close to Akira's, he couldn't take it.

If Ryuji is patient and Ryuji is kind, then it might come to be in time that Ryo would warm to him. Ryo had always been despised and had only later been appreciated for his appearance, his intelligence, his wealth. He never let anyone else close. He knew the truer shape of himself would be rebuked.

Still, he considers Ryuji's earnest expression and finds himself lowering his eyes to pay attention to how he unrolls his other sleeve. He tugs on the cuff here and there, almost as if to prolong it. ]

Not interested, [ he says. He's made no effort not to be blunt. ] Maybe once you've cut hair a few times.

[ He has a particular way he likes his hair, after all. Most people do. But, he reaches out again. He turns Simba over, delicate and thoughtful, and balances the aquabot on its metaphorical "back." There's no latches here, but he's investigating the attachments. He's quiet for a long moment, almost long enough that it seems like he's dropped the conversation entirely after that nickname came through. But then: ]

If you find it, [ he starts, tilting a momentary glance to him, ] I'll come by. [ He gently rights Simba again, continuing. ] Music is fine. I usually played it while I worked, but I listened to a lot in America.

[ You know, at the parties he went to mostly. ]