[not upset, she says to him, but it's too rushed and her tone is too sharp to his ears. he's looking at her like he already knew the answer. he holds her hand for a second too long, turns it over to look at the back of it - inspecting. for what, she'll never know.]
I wasn't.
[he's used to stubbornness, to bristling and discomfort. those things seem to follow him wherever he goes, with or without his help. he's always part of the equation, though. sometimes he doesn't make it easy for people, and he certainly hasn't made it easy for Alina. in playing avoidance he inadvertently struck an open wound. his muscles ache, and a part of him wishes he'd kept his mouth shut so she would've kept tending to him.]
no subject
I wasn't.
[he's used to stubbornness, to bristling and discomfort. those things seem to follow him wherever he goes, with or without his help. he's always part of the equation, though. sometimes he doesn't make it easy for people, and he certainly hasn't made it easy for Alina. in playing avoidance he inadvertently struck an open wound. his muscles ache, and a part of him wishes he'd kept his mouth shut so she would've kept tending to him.]
That's not my business.