[While he doesn't actually say "uh...?" his expression betrays him - and even if it didn't the sudden look between her, bike, her - that might do it. It's a joke he gets, once he checks, but not a joke he likes. Not that he likes most jokes but that one hits a bit too close to them.
No rush, she says. As soon as she says it he jerks toward her chin-first and narrows his eyes, trying to find a way out of it or to postpone it and it's right there to take and the other part of him, the protective part, wants to shake her and tell her to get back to being a bitch to him for their own good. And he doesn't do that, but he ends up tearing a hand through his hair and spitting out one word that means ten different things, half of them contradicting one another.]
No. Quit doin' -
[What would be great is a cigarette but instead he simply gets jittery and loses that thread of thought, almost immediately. Licks his lips and sighs and goes back to the original statement.]
I need to.
[Despite the desire to get up and pace out everything he stays still and stares at her to see if she gets it, or at least some of it. He needs to, because it's one little piece involved in fixing this mess, yes, but he's not sure what else to go on.]
no subject
No rush, she says. As soon as she says it he jerks toward her chin-first and narrows his eyes, trying to find a way out of it or to postpone it and it's right there to take and the other part of him, the protective part, wants to shake her and tell her to get back to being a bitch to him for their own good. And he doesn't do that, but he ends up tearing a hand through his hair and spitting out one word that means ten different things, half of them contradicting one another.]
No. Quit doin' -
[What would be great is a cigarette but instead he simply gets jittery and loses that thread of thought, almost immediately. Licks his lips and sighs and goes back to the original statement.]
I need to.
[Despite the desire to get up and pace out everything he stays still and stares at her to see if she gets it, or at least some of it. He needs to, because it's one little piece involved in fixing this mess, yes, but he's not sure what else to go on.]