He knows that kind of flinch, knows the way she makes herself smaller, less of a target, arm up to defend herself. He knows it all far, far too well, and the fact that he'd caused it in someone else, especially because of a reaction when he wasn't thinking makes his blood run cold and his face goes very, very pale.
He lets go, sort of. All the strength leaves his hand and it slides off her arm instead of him making a conscious decision to let go, but the effect is the same.]
I'm sorry... I didn't mean to scare you.
[Bernie is always scared. This is a different monster of fear entirely.]
cw: ...same tbh
He knows that kind of flinch, knows the way she makes herself smaller, less of a target, arm up to defend herself. He knows it all far, far too well, and the fact that he'd caused it in someone else, especially because of a reaction when he wasn't thinking makes his blood run cold and his face goes very, very pale.
He lets go, sort of. All the strength leaves his hand and it slides off her arm instead of him making a conscious decision to let go, but the effect is the same.]
I'm sorry... I didn't mean to scare you.
[Bernie is always scared. This is a different monster of fear entirely.]