[ The touch lingers and Claude rubs over the place where Jamie touched him, thoughtfully, like it's slow to register, but not that it's unwelcome. Just foreign. He hasn't actually had a relationship to anyone for years. This is all a new experience, and he wants it that way. ]

You're right. [ A small wave of his hand, to indicate - onward and upward - then a shake of his head, not to say no, but to say time. Give him time. New things take getting used to and he's getting used to it as he goes, right now. ] Again, like I said, it's nothing terrible. It's not my whole criminal record, though that would probably be a shorter affair to retell... [ A scoff. He's doing it again. Nervousness. Stalling. ] Jamie, it's not about anything that's even to do with us, it's -- before. It's about me. Why I can't promise it'll be simple, with us. You know?

[ Licking his lips, he rubs over the place Jamie touched before again, just feeling for the residual heat that isn't even a physical thing. ]

I haven't dated for years. Mostly because I'm not -- very good at it. Because there was someone, when I was younger, who taught me some really fucked-up dynamics and although I'm working on it, some of it sticks, still. It might stick forever.