It's complicated. Alexei feels like somebody he was, and Cain was somebody he was turned into. Could he just be 'Alexei' again, and have no questions asked about it? Identity could be a funny thing and he and Abel had had theirs meddled with in ways not many people would fully understand.

He looks up when Abel moves, his dark eyes darting up when he starts to speak and then cuts himself off. Cain feels his heart jump into his throat and he doesn't really notice the way he reaches over to find one of the other man's hands to curl his own around.

"I like you, too. A lot." It's more than that. It is, and he knows it, he's even said it out loud, but something holds him back here. "But you know—..."

His gaze slides away again. Finds a spot on the floor.

"You're allowed to be mad at me. I'm not gonna act like I didn't... like I wasn't in control of my own actions. I made some really... really shitty choices. The reason why doesn't matter." Cain pauses, chewing his lip for a moment.

Fuck it. It has to start somewhere.

"You didn't deserve what I did to you. And I'm sorry."