Comment by BrightBlue on Aesthetics of Unpleasantness - Chapter 60

Yesssss Brett, good job! I really am impressed that Brett makes a concerted effort to make himself be vulnerable for Hayden despite a lifetime of emotional grooming that told him to never allow himself to be like that. Like it doesn't come natural to him, to open himself up, because when you aren't taught as a child whom and how to trust, you take those walls into every relationship. Brett has spent so much time intellectualizing his emotions, I'm excited to see him FEEL them. Also, king of taking responsibility and owning up to his mistakes. I think after he was assaulted, he defaulted to isolating himself from the trauma in order to cope, and just wasn't in a place where he could feel safe... I don't think Hayden could break through that survival instinct, and Brett probably didn't know how to let him.