"Neither did I... so it's fine if you need me to go."

Part of him realized he was being more... submissive, than normal. More self-depreciating. But the words were out before he could alter them. Worse, he believed the mindset now, more than he had before. What progress he'd made, what confidence he'd gained, he'd lost it all in the last week.

"I'm sorry," he said, before he could halt himself. It was sincere, despite the sudden abruptness to it. "It wasn't... I didn't like it."

He thought she meant when his mind was altered. When he hadn't been himself.

Then her arms are on him, and he literally jumps, his wings flaring up in surprise. He starts to turn toward her, genuinely surprised. People -- aside from Kay, or the other BPs -- didn't generally get so touchy with him.