[of course, she freezes up right away, holding her breath while fighting against the swell of emotion such a gesture causes. it requires a lengthy beat to acclimate and swallow back so she can speak quietly, keeping her eyes forward and unblinking, as though she were being held at knifepoint.]

You see? This is exactly what I did not want. You now feel some obligation or burden of me that is utterly not yours.

[she exhales, blinking out troublesome tears. this hurts like hell, and she's not equipped for this, but she won't let herself be anything but upright as she's supposed to be.]

...You don't owe me anything, Darin. Least of all this.