Silvertip Mountain No Easy Way Out

He knew all over again that it was his own inaction, and not any twist of fate, that brought such feelings into his gut. But it was healing to speak the words, as it had been with Banner. For a moment, a strange tightness of his throat stopped the words on his tongue, but he waited a tense moment and felt it ease.

"I guess I've just had trouble adjusting," he said at last. "I keep telling myself that I'll spend more time around here, but even when I do, I keep to myself."

The words were bitter even to his own ears, and he tried to lighten his tone in the next sentence. "But things will get better - I just... need time, probably." He'd had time. "Sorry - that was a little heavy for first impressions," he admitted, feeling a little guilty for having unloaded his sorrows on the kindly male.