"Wouldn't kill me, you're right, but it would be a major setback in the progress I've made so far." Which was, essentially, none, he just wasn't quite ready to admit as much yet.

He winced slightly as he gnawed down to the quick of that thumbnail, something that had clearly happened a few times already, given the state of his fingers, just tucking it against his palm, the rest of his fingers curled over the top of it to apply pressure, picking up his coffee again with the other hand, "And for once in my life I'd like to actually do something I said I was going to do."