"Yeah, one of the others." He replied easily enough, swiping the bag of doughnut holes back so he could stuff one in his mouth, something to keep him from running it off before he had his thoughts in order.

"As much as it absolutely pains me to say it, and believe me it does, old Reg was right about one thing, I'm never going to learn what I'm really capable of if I keep cutting myself off from my abilities." It wasn't exactly a lie, it wasn't the only reason, either, but he didn't have the slightest idea how to even start to explain about Dave.

There was also the part where sobriety -so far- hadn't actually helped, as the bitten-ragged fingernails and the fact that he tried to sleep in the library or the parlor as often as not would attest to, but he wasn't yet ready to admit defeat.