Stephen watches Nate's face closely for a moment or two, trying to assess the margin between two opposing needs. Objectively, Nate needs whatever release it is that this conversation's playing stopgap to. Nothing swallowed stays down forever.
But there's only so much hypocrisy he can stomach. You can't tell a man to let out what he's been holding in when you've absolutely no intention of ever doing the same.
He removes the pressure of touch, letting his hand settle on the bartop. Different things work differently with different people. Sometimes touch can be enough to tip somebody over an edge, sometimes to pull them back from one. Stephen knows all about the possibility of inflicting catastrophic damage with the slightest slip of the hand. He'd rather not provide himself any opportunities to - nearby and available will do. ]
It'll come back bigger and uglier.
[ Spoken with an out of place humour, like it's an in-joke, which it is. Regurgitating the tenets of mental health maintenance doesn't suit him. Anyway, it's an exploration more than it is an honest warning.
Are you sure?
In this instance, the line between needing and wanting is narrow but noticeable. Nate's told him what he wants, and really that's what he'd been asking for. But before he commits to helping it's worth checking Nate doesn't first want to cater a little more to his needs and sit in the topic for a while longer. ]
no subject
Stephen watches Nate's face closely for a moment or two, trying to assess the margin between two opposing needs. Objectively, Nate needs whatever release it is that this conversation's playing stopgap to. Nothing swallowed stays down forever.
But there's only so much hypocrisy he can stomach. You can't tell a man to let out what he's been holding in when you've absolutely no intention of ever doing the same.
He removes the pressure of touch, letting his hand settle on the bartop. Different things work differently with different people. Sometimes touch can be enough to tip somebody over an edge, sometimes to pull them back from one. Stephen knows all about the possibility of inflicting catastrophic damage with the slightest slip of the hand. He'd rather not provide himself any opportunities to - nearby and available will do. ]
It'll come back bigger and uglier.
[ Spoken with an out of place humour, like it's an in-joke, which it is. Regurgitating the tenets of mental health maintenance doesn't suit him. Anyway, it's an exploration more than it is an honest warning.
Are you sure?
In this instance, the line between needing and wanting is narrow but noticeable. Nate's told him what he wants, and really that's what he'd been asking for. But before he commits to helping it's worth checking Nate doesn't first want to cater a little more to his needs and sit in the topic for a while longer. ]