[Gokudera stops, stares at the flame and leans forward to light his cigarette with a soft inhale.]

Thanks.

[He walks on again and looks up.]

I...

[Gokudera doesn't want to trauma-dump on Hijikata without his consent, but... mentioning it cautiously and in simplest terms might be better. Safe. It seems to take him a great deal of courage to say this.]

I had powers in my world. Energy in my body that looked like flames, and my most integral. Storm flames... they're destructive. Unrelenting. It feels like I've always been good at... destroying things.

[His eyes are wet, his voice cracking.]

I was bitten by a zombie and my collar removed, and from the inside out. I used my flames. And now on this world... I have elemental magic.

It's... ironic. [He wipes his eyes, takes a long drag off his cigarette, and exhales.]