There's an uncharacteristic stillness to Ginsberg now, as he sits there and listens to what Ned's saying, because he recognizes, even before Ned gets into the truly emotional parts of the story, that this is important, that it shouldn't be interrupted by fidgeting or asking irrelevant questions or even by saying those little things you say during conversation simply to keep it rolling. Emotion like this doesn't need encouragement, after all, and no amount of "mmhmms" or "uh huhs" will make it any easier for Ned to talk about it. So he's quiet, and still, and listens to what Ned has to say.
Even once Ned is done speaking, though, there're a million thoughts rushing around in his mind, and he has to sit silently for another several moments, during which he hopes Ned doesn't decide to suddenly kick him out for not responding appropriately, now that he's divulged all of this information. Finally, when he does speak, it's a little less frantic and exuberant than usual. "I'm sorry," he says, even though Ned had told him not to apologize, because he's not apologizing for anything he did now, he's apologizing for what had obviously been so painful -- still is so painful -- for Ned. Without meaning to, he'd dragged up all kinds of memories, unpleasantries that Ned had likely been trying to avoid throughout the whole day.
There isn't much he can say, he doesn't think, not anything that won't ring false, at least, and not anything that won't be potentially offensive (he wants, very much, to burst out with a "what an asshole!" comment at the end of Ned's explanation about his father, but he literally bites his tongue to avoid from doing so, because he knows full well that regardless of how harshly someone might speak of their parents, it's almost never productive to denigrate them.) He reaches one hand forward, almost tentatively, sets it on Ned's shoulder, not pushing some kind of suffocating embrace on him -- he doesn't know him well enough yet to know how he'll take it, whether it will be comforting or just stifling.
"Talking about that kinda stuff..." He takes a deep breath, tries to take any hint of pity out of his voice, because he doesn't pity Ned, and pity is one of those feelings that nobody appreciates receiving, even if it's meant well. "... You didn't have to explain yourself to me, but knowing where you're coming from... I'm glad you did. I know that probably makes me selfish because you had to talk about all of that and it's obviously upset you and you were trying to avoid all of this and I came in here and made you talk about it anyway, but you know -- or you should know, if you don't know, and me saying it doesn't help but I'm going to say it anyway because I can't keep my goddamn mouth shut -- you know that you didn't deserve what your father did."
Does that change anything? He doubts it. He knows all too well how meaningless words like that can be, even if they're meant from a place of compassion, which his are. "I'm glad you asked me over. Even when you're like this. Believe me, I've seen worse. I've been worse. How're you supposed to deal with it if you have to deal with it by yourself all the time? That gets pretty exhausting." Another deep breath, and then: "Okay, I'm pretty sure I've said way too much, and I've probably upset you again, and that really isn't my intention, but it's not something I'm so great at avoiding, in case you hadn't noticed, and I'm going to shut up now."
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Even once Ned is done speaking, though, there're a million thoughts rushing around in his mind, and he has to sit silently for another several moments, during which he hopes Ned doesn't decide to suddenly kick him out for not responding appropriately, now that he's divulged all of this information. Finally, when he does speak, it's a little less frantic and exuberant than usual. "I'm sorry," he says, even though Ned had told him not to apologize, because he's not apologizing for anything he did now, he's apologizing for what had obviously been so painful -- still is so painful -- for Ned. Without meaning to, he'd dragged up all kinds of memories, unpleasantries that Ned had likely been trying to avoid throughout the whole day.
There isn't much he can say, he doesn't think, not anything that won't ring false, at least, and not anything that won't be potentially offensive (he wants, very much, to burst out with a "what an asshole!" comment at the end of Ned's explanation about his father, but he literally bites his tongue to avoid from doing so, because he knows full well that regardless of how harshly someone might speak of their parents, it's almost never productive to denigrate them.) He reaches one hand forward, almost tentatively, sets it on Ned's shoulder, not pushing some kind of suffocating embrace on him -- he doesn't know him well enough yet to know how he'll take it, whether it will be comforting or just stifling.
"Talking about that kinda stuff..." He takes a deep breath, tries to take any hint of pity out of his voice, because he doesn't pity Ned, and pity is one of those feelings that nobody appreciates receiving, even if it's meant well. "... You didn't have to explain yourself to me, but knowing where you're coming from... I'm glad you did. I know that probably makes me selfish because you had to talk about all of that and it's obviously upset you and you were trying to avoid all of this and I came in here and made you talk about it anyway, but you know -- or you should know, if you don't know, and me saying it doesn't help but I'm going to say it anyway because I can't keep my goddamn mouth shut -- you know that you didn't deserve what your father did."
Does that change anything? He doubts it. He knows all too well how meaningless words like that can be, even if they're meant from a place of compassion, which his are. "I'm glad you asked me over. Even when you're like this. Believe me, I've seen worse. I've been worse. How're you supposed to deal with it if you have to deal with it by yourself all the time? That gets pretty exhausting." Another deep breath, and then: "Okay, I'm pretty sure I've said way too much, and I've probably upset you again, and that really isn't my intention, but it's not something I'm so great at avoiding, in case you hadn't noticed, and I'm going to shut up now."