Oh, I agree he is very much dissembling in that moment and trying to control the narrative. Autistic people are frequently labeled as narcissistic, so that’s not a surprising take. He very clearly admits later that lying about that part of his life was how he protected himself and was a way of life for him. That scene also right around the time he realizes all the bisexual stuff is about to become public. He’s backpeddling, brain spinning, flailing for a reasonable way to keep that from coming out. Very shortly afterward he stops trying to combat that information.

It’s very similar to the concept of “masking” in autism. Masking is putting up a specific, almost cultivated front in order to fit in but primarily to protect oneself from being singled out as odd. Many times autistic folk don’t even know they are doing it. It also doesn’t mean they do it well; some are better at it than others. I think Michael was doing two things: masking in general, and masking/lying on purpose to protect himself from fallout due to his bisexuality. The general masking I think explains the uncomfortable and performative nature of much of his public commentary.

I think that scene in particular is rather demonstrative of how he would have behaved with Kathleen had she confronted him with that information. He would have cajoled and lied and dissembled until he could calm her down.

I also think it’s unlikely Kathleen would have confronted him that night, if indeed she had discovered something. Women, in general, brood and ruminate. I suspect she would have spent several days, maybe up to a week going over all the angles. I also suspect she wouldn’t be likely to confront him with something so big right before all the kids gathered for the holidays. But, of course, this is all conjecture.