[Accepting it. He knows that's the truth. While their experiences might be different, he can't help but see the similarities. Only by accepting his faults, his actions, his darkness, had he been able to start off on his own path.

He's still working on living with it. But it's gotten easier every day. Mostly.]

But once you accept it there's less to fear. [A small smile appears on his face.] You accused me before of being afraid of the darkness. It was true at the time because I wanted nothing more then to be free of it. But once I realized that I couldn't, that it was a part of me, I didn't feel so afraid anymore.

[He looks down at his hands, fiddling them in his lap. He's not sure he can look Takeshi in the eyes while he says this.]

Maybe you were my Calamity Self. [He shakes his head.] That sounds bad. I don't mean it to sound like I think you're evil...now. I just mean...you helped me see things about myself that I never wanted to. But I think it was...necessary.

[Way to make things awkward.]