[ this is... a lot. and not, at the same time? because it's an alternate timeline and it's before this mess of a cruise and it's not like dick himself didn't have his ... thing with barbara. though proposing is-- a lot more than that. it's a lot more than that, but it's not like they're even... he lets go of one of junpei's hand to run a hand through his hair. he's at least not going straight for the wing preening. ]

We're not... [ he feels unbalanced, caught flat-footed, and yet it makes so much sense. a kind of duh moment in retrospect. of course the dude's in love with akane. dick's learned enough about his life to guess as much. still. proposing's... a big deal. and dick's-- ] This ... thing between us was always going to be temporary. We've kinda got a known deadline. It's-- I mean, I, I'm glad you told me [ even if part of dick kind of wishes he'd known earlier! ha ha. ] but it's. It's fine. [ he lets out a little laugh, awkward, looking down ] Kinda wish I could say it changes how I feel about you, actually.

[ it's said lightly, like it's a joke. because now he's the idiot who feels jealous in that kind of brittle way he does when he gets the impression he's being replaced, which he hasn't felt in years, and also-- it's stupid? dick's the temporary replacement here. and even that's an unfair thought, but it's there and dick hates that this is happening when his emotions are a fucking mess because part of him is kind of in love with higekiri right now and this is the Worst Timing junpei sucks ]