Broken Boulder let me down, let me down gently

"queenie," he says, a little relieved and strangely nervous -- they haven't really spoken since the move and he's not sure where they stand with each other. apparently the answer is okay, by the way she comes up like everything's the same. he'll take this small kindness, returning with a slightly fragile smile. "i'm still trying to figure that out myself," he murmurs, "how are you?" god, she's due soon, isn't she? that's a panic attack waiting to happen -- let's not dwell.

luckily he doesn't get a chance to as lily arrives -- the girl who'd called their last meeting, he reminds himself. she echoes his question as she joins them and he feels a little awkward, though he makes no motion to reject her from accompanying them. it's fine, it's all fine, so long as queenie doesn't mind, he thinks, looking at her for a response.