The furrows in his brow dig deeper as he tries to think of the right method of description. "Thinking of him does not hurt," he finally decides, after a moment. "But it is...not an unpleasant hurt. More the ache after a good sparring match than any true injury."

Ache. Yes. Ache is a good word for it. Perhaps a bit on the dramatic side, but that's never stopped him before.

"I desire proximity in a way I do not with him. We are closer than most, given our shared history, but I would not wish to wake up beside him. Share a day with him. Time, yes, but..." He looks frustrated again, shaking his head. "It is different."