Caring for Him...

I've always been good at taking care of others, even before I knew what DDLG was. It just felt natural to step in and help when someone needed it, whether they asked or not. Recently, though, something shifted, maybe because he's a bit older than me, maybe because we share so many interests. He trusts me with things no one else knows about him... his fears, his hopes. And there's this dynamic that developed where I find myself wanting to protect and nurture him, but also to challenge and guide him. It's like having an intimate conversation in a room full of mirrors; I see myself reflected back in the way he looks at me and it's both exhilarating and terrifying. So here's my question: how do you reconcile your feelings about nurturing someone while maintaining your independence? Are we just two adults supporting each other, or is there something more profound happening beneath the surface...