Lea wasn't sure what he was more abashed about: the idea that Riku had asked people on the network for input, the idea that everyone had assumed he was a girl, or the idea that this somehow made Riku think he was being treated like one. Standing on the front porch of the little duplex, Lea tried to formulate a response. His jaw worked soundlessly a moment, and then he finally found his voice.

"Why the hell would I be treating you like a girl?" he asked, releasing Riku's shoulder and scratching his head furiously. "I mean I guess... weren't you seeing a girl last year anyway? So I can understand why they might think this was about one too, but." He shook his head again. "I'm just treating you like Riku."

Then he paused a moment in thought, trying to conjure a moment when he'd acted any differently recently than he always had. The teasing aside, he really couldn't think of anything.

"... Aren't I?"

Suddenly he wondered if he'd done something wrong without meaning to.