Nathan could remember those times pretty well, even after all those years. Not just the upset of a child, but the frustrations of a boy growing into a man and trying his damnedest to be the best at everything. He had never really believed himself to be a self-made man. Who he had been for most of his life, who he continued to be in many respects, was a product of those around him. That his mother had helped him using an ability, beyond just the normal support of a mother – well, out of any context except those moments, it was relatively benign. In another frame of mind, he'd have even been grateful, as it had gotten him through some tricky times when trying to be everything he was supposed to be had driven him nearly crazy.
Part of him wanted to warm to her attempts at a lighter-hearted mood, but he just wasn't capable of it. He couldn't just wave off parts of his life, peel away all the ugliness and only focus on those softer, easier times. Not in this case, because he saw embracing that attitude as a risk to all he held dear.
"What about on others?" he asked, turning to look at her now fully. "Like when you told Heidi all of us were crazy."