you didn't have to offer your hand

SAMUEL stretch out my life & pick the seams out The way Zeph closed his eyes and moved his hands away...Sam was painfully used to that kind of response by now. His heart seemed to love too quickly, to eagerly latch onto the potential - though something about Zeph was different enough that it hurt anew. In his previous relationships he'd often wanted them to continue just to be with someone, to feel like he'd succeeded in love...here, now, it was because he wanted to be sure he could stay. Could find the comfort he found in Zeph's company whenever he wished. He hadn't really been expecting to be swept off his feet anyway, certainly not with Zeph in the state he was; he hadn't been expecting such an eloquent and gentle put down either. Swallowing, he put on his best brave smile, pretending his soul wasn't crushed under the weight of the lost possibilities. "I know, Zeph. Though..." The smile grew a little, a touch more genuine. "I k-keep telling y...you, I'm not th..that much younger than you. Only s-sssix years." With the eternal nature of Ascended life (usually) before him, six years was nothing. Taking his hands back and letting them rest in his lap, he hated the leap of hope his heart made at the word 'when', tried to push that back down. He couldn't hurt Zeph with his expectations, ruin what they had with his imagination. "I'm n-not here for th..that. Or...not j-just that. I want t..to help you, when thh-things are bad. Like now. I want to he..help, and just...be here, be-because already, you're one of the b-best friends I've ha..had. I feel...more me, with you. Even like this." Slowly he stood, held out a hand to help Zeph up. "...C-come on. You sh..should get to bed. I'll help." take what you like, but close my ears and eyes, watch me stumble over and over.