[He doesn't mind the hand on his shoulder. Bruce can't help hiding his face again briefly when he does it; showing strong emotion is instinctively prohibitive to him, and it never fails to read as a risk. Showing how much you feel is like asking for it to be taken advantage of, used as a weakness, and now there's the added complication that when he has strong feelings he's putting those around him in danger.
It's somewhat tumultuous even when it's positive. He breathes out again and lets the feeling of his hand on his shoulder stabilize him, eyes closing momentarily before it passes. The happiness seems to flit in and out of him as readily as Jack had said it would, leaving when he wants it gone but with traces remaining. Even those traces are comforting to him.]
It's okay, [he repeats, feeling like Jack needs more comforting than he does.] It's mostly gone already. I thought I was ready for it, but... [He smiles at him lop-sidedly, much more easily than normal.] I think we can count that as a success.
no subject
It's somewhat tumultuous even when it's positive. He breathes out again and lets the feeling of his hand on his shoulder stabilize him, eyes closing momentarily before it passes. The happiness seems to flit in and out of him as readily as Jack had said it would, leaving when he wants it gone but with traces remaining. Even those traces are comforting to him.]
It's okay, [he repeats, feeling like Jack needs more comforting than he does.] It's mostly gone already. I thought I was ready for it, but... [He smiles at him lop-sidedly, much more easily than normal.] I think we can count that as a success.