[ While his touch may be warm, his tone of voice is not. There's an edge intentionally softened, but even that's audible. He'd not really thought about what her reaction might be — he so seldom does, with most anyone. He is earnest truly to a fault, not for a lack of empathy, but for an excess of focus, perhaps. An excess of conviction. He doesn't see a problem with what he's said, doesn't think he's been unkind... But at the same time, even if he hadn't, he also doesn't want to be unkind or say something problematic now, either. He knows he's upset her and that much he doesn't like. Expectations? That's beyond him. That's too close to "solutions," even further beyond him. But he's relieved just to sit together, even if so far apart. ]
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[ While his touch may be warm, his tone of voice is not. There's an edge intentionally softened, but even that's audible. He'd not really thought about what her reaction might be — he so seldom does, with most anyone. He is earnest truly to a fault, not for a lack of empathy, but for an excess of focus, perhaps. An excess of conviction. He doesn't see a problem with what he's said, doesn't think he's been unkind... But at the same time, even if he hadn't, he also doesn't want to be unkind or say something problematic now, either. He knows he's upset her and that much he doesn't like. Expectations? That's beyond him. That's too close to "solutions," even further beyond him. But he's relieved just to sit together, even if so far apart. ]