How's that for self-sacrificing. No regrets, but that wouldn't stop him from worrying over it. Loving Celes wasn't the same as loving Rachel. He'd realized, deep down, that he ought to stop comparing Celes to her. But it was easier said than done. Sometimes he just couldn't help it. The differences sometimes struck him like a blow to the gut. A harsh reminder of what he'd lost, as unfair as it was to either of them for him to dwell on it like that. As if Celes really was a replacement. As if Rachel ever could be replaced. The similarities were more like a bolt of lightning. Rarer, but shocking in intensity when they came out of the blue. He honestly couldn't say which hurt more.

For now, he huffed a laugh, breath misting out between them, and leaned his forehead onto hers. Reluctant to move overmuch, because yeah, it's cold, even in here, and he was as close to comfortable as he'd be with his shoulder aching and his head spinning (and he's still lacking a shirt, let alone anything warmer than the cloak he's sharing with Celes.) They were going to need to build up the fire again before long, though. Eventually he brought her hand up to press a kiss to her knuckles.

"You're really something, you know that?"