[He leans back against the other arm of the sofa, drawing his legs up a little, less to give her space to sit and more to create a physical barrier between him and her. This is going to be an uncomfortable topic, he can tell, and he isn't well suited for difficult topics. He prefers to keep his interactions light and shallow and meaningless so it isn't so hard when they break down. Honerva - as weird as it is to think of her as Honerva after all this time - has made a lot more in-roads into his defenses than he likes to admit, but that doesn't mean he has to drop the whole act at once.

That isn't like him. This isn't like him.

He picks up another cup, depositing the empty one in its place, and takes a few sips of it just to have something to do.]

Yeah yeah, we all make our own roads, blah blah. I know what you meant, I'm not that dumb.

[He pauses and then snorts.]

Well no, I am that dumb, but not right now.

[After another sip that was less liquid and more sound, he glances over at her where she's perched.]

You been thinking about the ones who aren't here a lot?