…thanks. Worked on that with Brand—that friend I mentioned. Pushed me until I started adjusting. Guess that’s something.

[ Not a lot, but she appreciates what he’s trying to do. It did take a long time, a lot of sparring sessions, but that was how she and Brand spent most of their time together. Sparring. He understood what it was like to have someone that you spent your whole life with, how messy emotions around that could be. He had a lot less conflicting feelings about it, he had no urge to run, but it still let him understand.

She feels heavy, and when she lifts her head again she looks at him sidelong. ]

…‘cause of the whole— [ she nods vaguely at his head, she’s not sure if that’s more or less tactful than saying Epsilon outright ] —thing? Or—?

[ She’ll take the breather. This is all so— tricky, really. ]