There were always other things, but in this particular case, the dead friend and Atton vanishing were just bringing out old issues. Sparkle pursed his lips a little, and then straightened up and looked down at the sauce. Yeah, that needed another stir right then, even if it didn't.

"Kind of? I mean, I guess. I know it isn't something that's really... like..." He frowned, trying to put words to it. Leto was one of those people on the very short list of people that Sparkle didn't want to lie to, but that didn't make it any easier to admit out loud. "Fuck, I don't even know how to explain it without sounding needy. And I'm not that. God, I am so not that. I just overanalyze things sometimes. Look at all the ways the good things might fall apart. You expect the worst, you can't be disappointed. Even if you know better, I guess. Hard habit to break."