As he took a bite, he hummed approvingly.

"So, what are your plans for the day?" He asked, cocking his head to the side.

He leaned over to press a kiss to her cheek. Then he walked off to go to the table, sitting down with his breakfast.

He didn't start to eat yet, though. He's waiting for her.

He hummed noncommittally in response to her question.

"Thank you." He said, taking the plate from her. He looked at it with a small smile.

Every little act of kindness drew a smile from him, as if he's not used to it.

He stood there silently while she cooked, simply watching her... It wasn't until she was done that he made a sound.

He walked over to the coffee maker, pouring himself a cup of coffee. As if he hadn't been hovering like a ghost.

"Good morning."

Of course he doesn't mind.

As a matter of fact, he's leaning in the kitchen's entryway. Silently watching.

"Hm."

He shrugs, leaning back in his chair again.

The more he drinks, the more relaxed he is.

His eyebrows raised. He chuckled to himself, shaking his head.

"You're drinking with me now, aren't you?" He asked, gesturing between the two of them.

"*I* certainly do not care what a stranger thinks of me. Nor the police.

I suppose I don't count as a *person,* but... semantics."

"A pessimistic world view."

He frowned, eyebrows pinching together. He wasn't one with a romantic notion of people, especially humans...

And yet.

"Perhaps you're drinking with the wrong people."

"I... suppose that's one way to look at it. But if somebody is there, stopping you when you drink too much, doesn't it mean that person cares for you?"

He leaned forward as he asked that, inspecting Joel's facial expressions.

His movements are far clumsier than normal. Less controlled.

━ is nearly empty.

"Other than drinking alone. That *is* depressing, don't you think?"

He was staring with the same intensity as usual, although there was an eagerness to it that he didn't bother to hide.

"I've been well." He waved his free hand as if batting that question out of the air, refilling his glass.

The bottle ━

"I've always liked walking, taking in the scenery."

He shrugged, giving her hand an idle squeeze. Of course she wasn't too cold!

"Even more so when I have company, of course."

Taking a sip of his own, he leaned back in his chair. His posture wasn't as rigid as usual. He almost looked... relaxed? If that word could ever be applied to him.

"How have you been, Joel?"