[He huffs an almost laugh at that. He knows it sounded stupid. Ill conceived and likely self-punishing more than anything else.

Angling his head to look at Loki, he considers the idea a little before unfolding his hands and spreading them out in a placating manner.]

Where it seems like I should just tell him exactly how I feel, I always weigh outcomes. It could very well go in my favor. Maybe it's a sure thing. But it may not. He may not want that level of emotional intimacy.

[He smiles. A small flicker of how he truly feels as he lowers his head again.]

But whether I have courage to find out, I know one thing is certain, no matter how foolish it makes me. I would follow him to the ends of the universe and not look back. And I'd rather do that and be there to support him than lose him. Guess I'll just be that fool.

But I guess... maybe it's comin' high time I told him. [But not for him. No. For Jim.]