"That's not what I meant," Stark protested. "Not trying to change your mind. I meant...I would have made sure we went somewhere warm, once. Like we'd talked about. Or just out somewhere. Things like that. I would have told you I sleep better with you here. Things I thought there would be time for. I would have made you more pancakes."

The pancakes were still not a euphemism.

"I would have told you more, out loud, that I love you." He'd always been a little worried about doing so, after what happened the first time.