Page 81 of Untouchable

How isit possible that Parker's words could make him feel so good and bad at the same time?

Parker says that Harp is important but clearly he’s hurt Parker by being condescending.

For once, there’s a conflict with someone and Harp understands that… maybe there’s a road map.

You have your damage,Harp thinks. Parker has his own.

He backs up in his mind a few beats, to before he started feeling defensive. He looks into Parker’s eyes and reminds himself that he’s important, Parker just said so.

"That's a very good point," Harp says gently, slowly. "And I was never mad at you. I was mad at myself for... I don't know, I shouldn't have talked about any of that in the first place. It's a sore subject for a good reason."

Harp feels exhausted. Is this what having a friend is like?

Yeah, he tells himself. It is.

Having friends is exhausting and thrilling and full of risks. This is exactly why he was so scared to let someone in.

“I probably should have… picked up on that,” Parker says after a moment.

“And if I was going to be a condescending asshole, I should’ve just asked that we not talk about it,” Harp says. “Truce, Parker? Please?”

Parker gives him a half smile.

“Truce,” Parker says after a minute, shaking his head. “Can we… back up the conversation? Before the family talk? Maybe just go back to snowboarding, at least for now?”

"Thank you," Harp says, sinking into the loveseat opposite Parker. "I'd like that."

He needs a moment to stop panicking about losing Parker as a friend entirely, to calm down from being mad over something that should never have made him mad in the first place.

"You're very patient,” Harp says. “And I'd love to talk about snowboarding. Where's your favorite place to go?"

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