It was hard to deny with the evidence right in front of his face. Chris stroked at Cole's cheekbone with his thumb for only a moment while his mind churned and ground up against some invisible barrier to acceptance. His body was practically aching from understanding every word Cole was saying and yet his mind refused to let him rest, a distressing and ultimately disturbing conundrum

When he was pressed against Cole, Chris let his chin rest on the other's shoulder while he went through his internal struggle. There was so much he could ask for, so much hidden in that simple and all-encompassing promise and he wanted it so, so badly. He knew the offer was there, always extended and a precious gift. Yet he couldn't accept it. "Give me space," he begged desperately. It was a hard-won fight just to get that out rather than ask for Cole's comfort. He didn't want space but he needed the room to think, to try and get this anxiety and wrongness out of his system. Time to clear his thoughts and come back to this as less of a mess.