[There's a hand out quick in response, not quite pushing Richie back but keeping him away.]
Don't - don't touch it, thank you.
[He holds a tight breath and lets it out slowly, an easy tell that something hurts and hurts bad, if it wasn't obvious enough already. Between the electric jolts of nerve pain, his brain's trying to put itself back in the right alignment - whatever godawful embarrassment just took place in the elevator trying to settle someplace between just now and twelve years ago.
It's almost a relief to have other things to focus on. The cotton-wool feeling clogging up his lungs. The shadow coming down over his eyes again. Almost a relief.
But in the kind of way that's half breaking his heart at the same time.]
It's fine. [Said sharp, and sounding like an echo.] I'm used to it. Or I will be - just give me a minute.
no subject
Don't - don't touch it, thank you.
[He holds a tight breath and lets it out slowly, an easy tell that something hurts and hurts bad, if it wasn't obvious enough already. Between the electric jolts of nerve pain, his brain's trying to put itself back in the right alignment - whatever godawful embarrassment just took place in the elevator trying to settle someplace between just now and twelve years ago.
It's almost a relief to have other things to focus on. The cotton-wool feeling clogging up his lungs. The shadow coming down over his eyes again. Almost a relief.
But in the kind of way that's half breaking his heart at the same time.]
It's fine. [Said sharp, and sounding like an echo.] I'm used to it. Or I will be - just give me a minute.