[ Nate watches the aborted gesture, the way Ian's hand loses interest halfway through and his hair falls over his face again. Loose, almost leisurely, tinged with the anxiety of someone who is feeling the sentiment through the thick curtain of recreational influence. It isn't a pleasant sensation to know that you're a problem, but neither is Nate unfamiliar with the expression, the concern, and though it would be easy to give the carefree and rote response Ian probably deserves something a little more sincere. ]

I know.

[ It's fine, I'll be okay, there's nothing to worry about, I've done stuff like this a thousand times.

Hollow, empty words. Things he can say, but won't. No matter how confident he is the stakes are still high. ]

I'm gonna be as careful as I can be, which...I know probably doesn't mean a lot to you, but. I mean it.