[He doesn't . . . quite flinch. It's the draw-back that comes before a flinch, and he hates himself for letting even that much show to a stranger, honestly, but he can't help it. My son is there, and there are two problems with this: one, he has no way of coping with the idea of a mother so worried for her son that she'd go to a potentially dangerous place just to see him. Two, hearing the phrase my son sounds so different after you've heard it said referring to you for the first time.]
[So it's not quite a flinch. But it's a hesitation. That, at least, is very clearly there.]
I can . . . at least find out whether or not there's something on the other side. If you want my help. If not, I understand.
no subject
[He doesn't . . . quite flinch. It's the draw-back that comes before a flinch, and he hates himself for letting even that much show to a stranger, honestly, but he can't help it. My son is there, and there are two problems with this: one, he has no way of coping with the idea of a mother so worried for her son that she'd go to a potentially dangerous place just to see him. Two, hearing the phrase my son sounds so different after you've heard it said referring to you for the first time.]
[So it's not quite a flinch. But it's a hesitation. That, at least, is very clearly there.]
I can . . . at least find out whether or not there's something on the other side. If you want my help. If not, I understand.