[there is not much he can do to cover up the fact that he is appropriately unnerved by the situation and lacerated raw enough that a touch hurts -- contrary to what people think of him, concealing his feelings on purpose has never really been a priority, and he doesn't often try. what he does try to control is the shape of his actions and reactions.

he deliberately lets himself go still internally. he is a self-contained person, and all of his own baggage fits neatly inside his perception of himself. he can be as steady and quiet and immovable as a pillar to lean against even with his own stuff going on; he can reassure, or at least not make it worse.]

The suppression is slow. It will quiet soon.