[ She nods again. He's done it enough for her to notice, and maybe, just maybe, he'll begin to notice when he does it, too, enough that he might be able to give himself a moment to collect his thoughts or accept them. ] ...And, I think, since you were young.

[ When a certain month had turned him young, as a child he had spoken of not wanting to trouble his father. This way of thinking is not going to change overnight, not when he's been living so long like this, but she wants to be there with him every step of that journey. ]

That's.... long enough, don't you think? [ She smiles gently. ] It's time to be kinder to yourself.

[ With the time he has left. He can have this. ]