It's hard to know the words to ask for what he wants. Because he feels small and kind of stupid and vulnerable in a way that he needed to strike down and smother in order to do what he does. Steve touches him in ways that always catches him off guard. He swallows. "Could you..." Get it out. "Just for a little bit, if you could...just..."

He huffs at himself more than anything and decides to take action. Action's always better, always easier. He tucks his face closer to Steve's chest again and takes one of those hands on him and brings it up. Fingers to his hairline, or nails to his scalp. He does want that gentle petting sensation. But it's so hard to actually try and describe it, to go 'hey can you pet my hair', because that sounds so dumb to his ears even if, just a few years ago, he might've done that easily enough.

It's a small thing. It's incredibly small and feels silly to feel so vulnerable. But it's there. He supposes if anyone were going to get it, it might be Steve.