[She may not realize what she's doing, but he notices and his eyes flicker down to her arm for a moment before sliding back up to her face.
He suppresses the odd shiver that tries to force its way down his spine as he listens to her explanation behind her own tattoo. She was right, their reasons were eerily similar. "...stake a claim on my own body. Make it mine..."
He had wanted to remind himself his life was his, that even through this significant bad moment in his life--Allison breaking up with him, which hurt far more than he'd ever let on because he refused to be that guy that refused to let her move on--life would continue and it would be his and it would be fine.] I think I can understand that. Kind of, at least. Circumstances were pretty different but... [He shrugs one shoulder.
That tiny slip of the tongue made his heart skip a beat and suddenly, he's glad her very human ears can't hear those things at this distance.] That...that sounds like the best feeling in the world.
[And it hurt to hear because she hadn't been. She hadn't been protected, not that night, not well enough. He has always--and will always--blame himself for it. For not being quick enough. For not being able to save her.
He feels the smallest amount of anxiety settling in his chest as the thoughts he'd long-since locked away slowly sink back into the front of his mind. He tries to push it down and hopes she doesn't catch the slight hitch in his breath because the last thing he wants is questions.]