"You too...?" The words came out before he could stop himself, more pensive than concerned, but too calm to be dismissive. A friend of his? Someone else that he was so desperate to protect? A family member (for some reason, he never took to the time to picture anyone around him as having family. Maybe it made things easier that way)? Or was it someone he hated, someone they wanted to taunt him with by giving him the impression that they were free of this hell while he was not?

From the boy's condition, at least it looked like he hadn't lost his head and spent the entire night chasing ghosts.

...Ha.

Maybe that was why he never had the heart to push the boy away, no matter how much he wanted to: neither one of them knew when to stop playing hero, grow up, and face reality. He wished it wasn't the case. Foolish dreams could destroy a grown man. What chance had a fifteen year old boy?

"I'm sorry." It came off more distant than it should have been, but that was fine. The less Sora thought he cared, the better. Trying again, at least for the sake of saying nothing further, Venom again attempted the goal of eating something. It was a grape this time.

His face still blanched.