Oh, Dimitri. [Claude relaxes into a smile.] That's sweet...but you know that's not the only way to make people feel loved and cherished and special, right? Honestly, just the way you're looking at me right now makes me feel like that. It's not about having to follow some particular guidelines. A lot of the things you were taught...well, they were about formality, not feeling. Those things can go together, sure, but you don't need one to show the other at all.
I have a hard time picturing you hurting me, when you're so careful about that sort of thing now. [He lifts a hand to cup Dimitri's cheek.] But I can always tell you if you're going off-track, or if you're going too far too fast. Can't I? You holding yourself back isn't the only way to make sure nothing bad happens, you know.
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Date: 2021-02-19 06:00 pm (UTC)I have a hard time picturing you hurting me, when you're so careful about that sort of thing now. [He lifts a hand to cup Dimitri's cheek.] But I can always tell you if you're going off-track, or if you're going too far too fast. Can't I? You holding yourself back isn't the only way to make sure nothing bad happens, you know.