[He remains quiet. In some respects, he can understand the sentiment. Understand not wanting to place your problems on the shoulders of another. To keep them from taking on too much of your own. But somehow... they always did anyway.]

[People crept in, sunk into the cracks in your armor you never knew existed. And they stayed there.]

I can't speak to my own experience. [He says, finally, his eyes on the table.] Parents were never something I was afforded.

[Just going to drop that nugget of information right there. And move on.]

However... I have found that the more we keep things buried, the more likely it becomes those close to us will notice. Children are no exception to that.