[ He doesn't flinch away from the contact, the way her hand brushes his cheek. He doesn't have a problem with that, really; it's somewhat calming, somewhat reassuring, feels altogether different to the contrast of her words, which - while conveying a positive message and given gently - are still abrasive to his internal dichotomy. The touch is different, tactile in the ways that he craves, and not enough to actually be manipulative. He can allow that without finding ulterior motive, which is what provokes his calming further after she says it. That and the reassurance. He's fairly certain neither of them understands why he hasn't sent her the safeword yet, why he hasn't asked to leave, but he hasn't, and that's the part that matters.
Although with the continued words, we're back to avoidance, in at least as many ways as are available to him right now. He's starting to feel a bit of pressure in his chest, and he's reasonably sure it's from some sort of emotional reaction he doesn't feel like having right now. He just... He doesn't know what to do with what she's saying. Everything about her is telling him it's the truth, and that's almost worse. He'd be more okay with this if she were lying for his benefit, exaggerating because it was something she felt that he needed, but being the truth, straight up without embellishment nor ulterior motive - that's almost not even something he understands. He doesn't understand it, he doesn't understand why it's so important to her that he agrees with her, or at the very least hears this, he doesn't know why he's so opposed to the idea, especially when simply agreeing with her would likely put them back on track to what he was expecting with all of this. ]
no subject
Although with the continued words, we're back to avoidance, in at least as many ways as are available to him right now. He's starting to feel a bit of pressure in his chest, and he's reasonably sure it's from some sort of emotional reaction he doesn't feel like having right now. He just... He doesn't know what to do with what she's saying. Everything about her is telling him it's the truth, and that's almost worse. He'd be more okay with this if she were lying for his benefit, exaggerating because it was something she felt that he needed, but being the truth, straight up without embellishment nor ulterior motive - that's almost not even something he understands. He doesn't understand it, he doesn't understand why it's so important to her that he agrees with her, or at the very least hears this, he doesn't know why he's so opposed to the idea, especially when simply agreeing with her would likely put them back on track to what he was expecting with all of this. ]