[It takes him a second to realize what Anders means. His eyes widen.]

That--no. I--Anders. [His face burns. He should have said it differently.]

There is nothing wrong with you as you are. Nothing. But I...I don't want you to be torn between him and me. It's not that I wouldn't want you. It's that you have too many powerful forces trying to influence you as it is, him and others. You don't need another.

[So many things could go wrong, so many ways Nathaniel could mishandle it without knowing.]

I don't want...to be in a position where I could hurt you.