What is "real," though? [ Even thinking the words, Matt can't help a carbonated sparkle of mental laughter. Associations follow: smoke blown through parted lips, the heavy smell of weed. Globules in a lava lamp. ] I mean, I think I get what you're saying, in the sense that ... the sensations are coming externally, or through a process we think of as ... extrinsic, to how people normally arrive at those feelings.

[ Despite the fact that he finds D's awkwardness pretty cute, frankly, Matt's trying to be delicate. ]

But it doesn't mean they're invalid, or illusory. I respect that that's your experience, just, for me ...

Especially not with consent. It wasn't an imposition.