[ Something in his heart breaks, hearing those words and feeling the way his body reacts to his breaths, his words. Fuck, fuck if Leo doesn't deserve the goddamn world for as big as his heart is. He deserves someone to love him with all of their hearts, the same way he'd so obviously devote himself to another person.

His hands shift, and he goes to scoop up his face so he can pull back just enough from where he's wound up curled against, around, Leo. ]

Change for your own sake, Leo.

[ Softly, fleetingly, Kuro presses a kiss to the top of his head. To the peak of his forehead. To the space between his eyebrows. A slow, lingering trail of affection. Of reassurance. ]

Become the person you wanna be for your brother. For your parents. [ He bonks their foreheads together, eyes focused on him. ] Become the person your Baba knew you were gonna be. But change for your own sake, not anybody else's. 'cause you've got a place here, with me 'n Suzu, whenever you need it.

And I'm not goin' anywhere, okay? [ His thumbs sweep over his cheeks. ] I'm here to help you find that bigger someplace, 'n that somebody.