[At first, Akira listens quietly, only shrugging at one point. Harsh or not, he knows Akechi acted out of self defense, and that he can't hold what he did out of fear and paranoia against him. Akira was trying to kill him, after all.

But then Akechi says that, and he straightens up, eyes widening. This... this is something he's felt before, more than once. As he grew closer and closer to the other Thieves, sometimes he would hit a point where he would have the somewhat sickening revelation that they would put themselves in the path of a bullet for him; and had, more than once. Watching Ryuji or Makoto throw themselves in front of a shadow's attack for his sake never felt good. But that wasn't so bad; wounds could be easily healed, with magic and medicine. This... what Akechi is talking about is...]

...I appreciate what you're trying to do. [He wants Akechi to know that, that he isn't dismissing him because he doesn't want their relationship to grow. Rather...] But I can't let you do that. I'm not... okay with you putting yourself in that kind of position.