Artistic Science

silvermender:

Yeah, Pint NAMELY in his younger years is a very nasty/pathetic character with that paranoia-hatin habit of his. He´s somehow aware that people don´t -do it- to rub it on him  (but then again this habit worsened around Bree who very much rubs her accomplishments on his face all the time) so it´s more out of spite and jealousy—though still an ingrained defense mechanism to cope with his rather shitty life.      He won´t exactly talk back smack to someone (surprisingly composed and quiet, rarely ever snaps) but his involvement is in the negative scores. At the very least he kind of reciprocates in that he practically -never- talks about himself and avoids blaming on others, so you´re spared of the billion bitch fits he´s mulling over in his head. 

As for older Pint, he thankfully grows out of this—over the course of almost two decades (biologically he looks about 26 but he´s only lived 18 years) 

Unfortunately he still clings to some tidbits of that habit—mind you, he would -really- mean the fact that he´s happy for someone else. Like genuinely happy but being a hideously self-conscious worry wart HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE HE SOUNDS AND IS BEING NICE. ALSO SUBCONSCIOUSLY REASSURING HIMSELF PEOPLE WORK HARD TO GET WHERE THEY ARE. BECAUSE HE´S AN ADULT AND NOT A SHITBABY

which of course only has the intended opposite effect 

especially when he´s got an imaginary/hypothetical or actually present hector acting as that little grating voice at the back of his skull that actively reminds him to be upset with himself