Ansel exhaled slowly, the sound heavy with restraint. He dragged a hand down his face, fingers pressing briefly against his eyes as if he needed a second to steady himself.
"Lance." he said at last, quieter now, "this is a lot. It came out of nowhere."
He stepped past him and set his keys on the counter, the soft clink echoing in the otherwise silent apartment. He loosened his jacket but did not take it off, tension still riding his shoulders. After a moment, he stopped moving altogether.
He turned back.
"You brought this up after everything that happened today." Ansel continued. "I don't know what's going through your head, but I need you to slow down."
Lance swallowed hard, fingers curling into the hem of his shirt like it was the only thing keeping him upright.
"I did think it through." he said, a little too quickly. "I am not asking you to date me. I know you would not. Not someone like me."
Ansel's brow furrowed slightly, but Lance kept going before he could interrupt.
