lol, you intimidated lj! well done!! *grins* i still think you're good luck, anyway! :D

yeah, keep them back is good!
you might say
'the tears he'd been holding in now flowed like a river, but he made no effort to keep them back'
how does that sound? or even 'stem the tide' or something like that?
i'll keep thinking on it, too...
*hugs back* anytime!