Northstar Vale Let's just hurt tonight

Unlike the girl, Mattias had never been one to talk.  He had been one to chastise, to lecture when necessary but leisurely discussion came about as easily to him as prying teeth.  But this was not fear, was not anxiety, was not a shy personality.  He was blunt and unapologetically quiet.

He shrugged.  It was not an intrusive question.  He had never been close with his mother (he was too black-and-white for her idealistic tendencies); it was his sister he missed.  No, she's not.  He tilted his head at the dainty lady's profession.  Adopted?  In Keening Sound, many of the (single) women raised their families together, so this was not uncommon but he had never experienced it personally. Good that you have one, though.  He gave her a bit of a wry smile and shrugged once again as she suggested he make even more attempts at socializing.

Hah.  Maybe if they ran into each other, but he wasn't going to seek her out.  He was unsure of how well-recepted his presence was going to be, especially after running off the well-liked sister of his.  Maybe, he offered, trying to quell her like a tired mother would a wheedling child; not without care but definitely not a sure answer of anything.

Trying to turn the conversation away from this friend that the lady was pushing on him, he quickly followed it up with a How long do you plan on staying?  She reminded him oh-so-much of his littlest sister and it hurt him in a way, but for whatever reason the pain was also .. comforting in its own way.