What blunt descriptions. Quiet. Hiding inside himself. Wanted to follow but thought Alex would hurt Neil. They're enough, just enough, to cause the man to wince.

"Together four years," he murmurs bitterly to himself, "and I'm still pushing him away." His free hand comes up to press a knuckle against one of his eyelids, agitation written in the act. "I'm the one hurting him."