It's not that Balthier doesn't want public displays; it's that he's so conditioned to think wanting them makes him needy.

"You can have it even if when don't need it," he says, but his voice is low and the words are nearly lost. He's so relaxed, and the headache is fading. He'll let David go in another few minutes. He won't be happy about it, but he's not going to keep the man from doing something that matters to him.