He's quiet for a stretch, cinching and buckling, while his reflex to complain dissolves in the calmness Derrica inspires.
"No. It wasn't that bad," he says. "It was only—family."
He's too old to have his cheeks pinched, but never too old to be wrapped in bear hugs by the barrel-chested, booming-voiced men or had his face held with urgent, sharp-nailed affection by the women on his mother's side of the family.
Somehow he still avoided his parents. They'll be hurt when they hear, if they haven't already.
Family. A hum of understanding, her eyes searching his face for a long moment. She doesn't find any obvious consternation, but even if she had, the question would have had to be phrased carefully. She is very aware that family is not an easy thing for him.
There's room for him, if he wants to speak on it. But to his question—
"I took over Project Haven," she tells him, followed by, "Will you check these?"
Lifting her arms, baring the buckles for his inspection.
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"No. It wasn't that bad," he says. "It was only—family."
He's too old to have his cheeks pinched, but never too old to be wrapped in bear hugs by the barrel-chested, booming-voiced men or had his face held with urgent, sharp-nailed affection by the women on his mother's side of the family.
Somehow he still avoided his parents. They'll be hurt when they hear, if they haven't already.
"Did anything happen here?"
no subject
There's room for him, if he wants to speak on it. But to his question—
"I took over Project Haven," she tells him, followed by, "Will you check these?"
Lifting her arms, baring the buckles for his inspection.