"That's not pathetic," Kyle says gently. "You didn't really have a choice, dude. Uhm. I'd teach you, if you want? Like I'm not an expert, and I'm a long way from orthodox, but..."

Kyle's jaw sets again. "You're seriously bound and determined to shoot down anything good about yourself, huh? Yeah, I could choose something else. Do you want me to? Now, I mean. Like..."

He glances down at their interlaced fingers as if he hadn't noticed when that had happened.

"Is it gonna be too much?"