He could keep playing the wounded doe if he wanted. Lean hard on his own defense.

Instead the grin he flashes in response to that knowing remark from Ellis is nothing short of devilish. Proud. Oh, not for himself— he’s been caught red-handed, and if he thought this would lead to trouble he’d take a far different tack— but for his new companion, for having the nose to sniff out trouble.

“Fresh as spring and twice as warm.” Well.

“...in the figurative sense, at least.”

He flexes his fingertips, head bowed slightly. Cold hands. Cold everything, in fact. Terrible circulation, even with a beating heart these days.

“You’re not angry with me, are you?”