[ okay, that gets him to crack a smile. tiny, but there. ]

There I go, being the worst... To think you had a speech planned.

[ he tightens his grip a little, a squeeze. progress! and hopefully enough to show he's messing around with her, too. ]

No, that's... more or less it. Speak honestly, people don't like to hear it. Hide it, people wonder why. Show them why, and... maybe they'll lecture you about why you should forget all that now. As if it doesn't impact the way you think or act.

That's just it. I can't just throw it away because others think I should or think it's ugly. Those memories, that existence - they're mine.