Michael bit his lip, glancing away and focusing on the ocean. He thought he could date like a normal person but this felt too weird. It felt like he was being split in two, one half wanting to return affection (though he couldn't imagine where that was coming from) and the other half wanting to put up his walls like normal.

"Yeah," he answered airily. "I just... needed to turn over. I don't want to burn." Yes, he lied, but he was good at it, and it was all he could do.