[Now that they (mostly) understand each other, though, and the crux of the issues are over with (for now) -- Lenka's mostly back to his usual composed self. Or, perhaps more accurately, he's tucked away his remaining doubts beneath his will to keep moving; some of them are fuel, and some of them are simply shadow beneath his feet.

The shadows are a little longer, far away from home, but he'll do his best to stay ahead of them regardless. So he stubbornly shakes his head at Julius' warning, and doesn't budge, physically or otherwise.]

I chose to fight, back home. [chose to wield the God Arc again despite everything, because retirement would mean giving up, and he doesn't know any other way of life nor any other way of proving he's lived] I knew the risks. I know the risks. But I don't want to die here, and neither should you.

[It's not all that often that he bares himself in words. He goes a step further and holds out a hand to Julius; it's not the one with the armlet, the one the infection has claimed. Both are gloved.]

We can work with this. Work with me?