[ There was no use in forcing Ed to look at him. There were plenty of reasons he could think of why he wouldn't want to. If there was something else Oswald could say he certainly wasn't wise enough to know what it was, so he decided to simply watch the hands on the nearby clock move forward while the possibilities of his -- their -- future hung in a sense of limbo. He couldn't make Ed love him. Even if he did have that ability, he wouldn't use it. It had to be his choice or it didn't mean anything.

He felt Ed's gaze on him before he heard his voice, but regardless he waited until he was spoken to before looking back. Of course he would say that. Worry about his feelings. He didn't even deserve it at this point and still there had yet to be a straightforward rejection. He hadn't really been rejected at all thus far. It really was like everything was in limbo. He was stuck right on the line of being a happy man or... well, a very unhappy one. ]

I understand. [ Honestly, he did. ] If anything, I'm the guilty one. If I had just told you sooner... [ He trailed off, a sense of melancholy falling over his features. ] I'm sorry. If you need me to put my feelings aside, I will. For the sake of us remaining friends. Assuming you would want to.