Jaiden nodded slightly when Jamie told him not to apologize. He was fine, he was fine, something he kept having to repeat to himself all over again. He sighed softly and leaned over when Jamie pulled him close again, resting his head on Jamie's shoulder. It was an odd position, but he didn't care. He just needed to be...close.
It wasn't real...none of it was real...and yet his body was still reacting as if it was. His back ached from long forgotten scars, and he knew it was all in his mind...but they felt fresh again. They hadn't been fresh in over ten years. It was all stupid, ridiculous, and yet he couldn't help it.
"Thank you," he finally said, softly, more controlled. "I...I know it looks scary, from the outside...you did everything right..." More so even, just by being Jamie. Jaiden loved his parents, he always would, but Jamie had always been...something else. He'd always kept him calm, always gave him something to hold onto, something he could count on.
But he was still mad at himself. Still mad that he fell apart, still mad that something so stupid had so much power over him all these years later. Still mad Jamie had to see it...of all people.