Something clicks. (Yes it had hurt, but he'd been able to deal with it. It was less painful than watching one of his own die.)

'Needing other people isn't a weakness, to me.' He wraps one arm around himself and uses the other to rub his chin, deep in thought. 'It's not selfish, either. It's just part... of overcoming fear.' He'd been alone in the universe. Needing people was a part of facing the fear of that loneliness, again. It was weird, and twisted in its own way, but it worked. Just like yellow weakness.

A long pause as he considers I want you around. It wasn't directly stated, he has to meet Jim halfway and try and read between the lines. Treat him a little like Guy, a little like himself.

'We have very different styles of leading.' The remark is slightly wry. 'I swear, every time I think you're like me, you turn around and act like Gardner.'