overconfidently

Yes. It is fine.

...are you? Was it just a coma, or did you wake up with new memories?

i have new memories but i'm fine.

( no he's not but it's ok. he's a summers-grey. )

I don't want to scroll up again to check but I'm reasonably certain I mentioned knowing what your world is like. Are you really fine or are you taking after your father and lying because you don't want me to know what's wrong?

Because you don't have to tell me about it, if you're not fine. I'd listen, but I'm also useful in other ways.

i'm the strongest one from where we're from. so i'm fine, yeah.

Strongest how?

in every way.

Humor me and list those ways? I'm sure there are more of them, for you guys.

i could turn your brain inside out with a single thought if i wanted to.

1. psychic ability (telepathy?)

Continue.

no. i'm not your dancing monkey.

Alright, I'll cut to the chase on my end, then:

Strength is not just about how powerful you are. How much you can do physically or psychically is not all there is to being a strong person. Saying you're fine will never make it true and acknowledging when you're not fine and taking steps to process things before you lose your shit from bottling it all up is strength.

My offer will continue to stand, but I hope that if you realize you do want to talk about it before you're less pissed off at me, you'll contact someone you like better.

worry about scott. he's got more issues.

You don't have to listen to me, but I don't have to listen to you either. I'll worry about whoever I want to worry about and no one that I don't.

well you don't have to worry about me. so there.

You have no control over my emotions. And if it's possible for you to take it by force, I do not consent.

well you're worrying about nothing so you'll stress yourself for no reason.

Do you actually care if that's the case?

it’s not like i want anything to happen to you.

That would be the full opposite of caring. It's a spectrum -- you can be indifferent. After all, you can't control it.

what do you want to hear? that i don't hate you? cause i don't. if something happened to you or someone hurt you, i'd turn their brain inside out.

No, I
What?
There are feelings in between hating someone and being willing to do whatever that means on their behalf.
I haven't earned anything from you, I know that
It just doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying.

you mean something to scott. that puts you under my protection. if you need it.

Then that's something he's earned. Not me.

you're really hung up on earning things huh?

You don't understand, Nate. Your whole life, you've been wanted. For terrible reasons, and I'm very sorry for that, I'd kill them if they showed up here for how they've treated you but I also can't relate. If you did dig around in my head you'd know how it feels when your whole life is people only enduring you because were told they had to. I've been passed around as worthless for as long as I can remember, everyone just tolerating my presence until it was someone else's turn. Until I saved the world or died trying, and it turned out to be the latter. So being told you're only dealing with me for father's sake, even with the caveat that you don't hate me, is a familiar shorthand. Somewhere along the way, I fucked up.

Probably multiple places.
I know I'm difficult and that I have a complex in this regard, but I'm not happy settling for it now that there are people around who do actually like me.
Even if it's beyond my comprehension why they would.
At least I can admit this shit now.

...you don't actually have to like me in the long run or anything.
I'm just trying not to write myself off so easily anymore.
And the way you're saying you're fine is ringing some very familiar bells.

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