Stavanger Bay with flowers in the sunshine

Raptor bit his lip and puffed his cheeks and in doing so might have appeared to be a beached sculpin with a mug only a mother could love. But he had to. Somewhere at the back of his throat and crawling onto his tongue was an apology, and a confession of all the petty things that were bothering him. He refused to go there. He wanted to feel good about himself. He wanted to feel like a winner. He did not want to play the role of a butthurt whelp in need of consolation.

"I don't have one," he countered lamely after a long exhale. He wanted to take a jab at her; but he knew his aggression was misplaced and felt a hot iron of fresh guilt pierce his ribs. This was his crewmate and friend. Raptor sighed. "I've just been... you know. Tryin' to help get the ship in order. I even did a bit of recruitin' for us! Have ye met her? Roz?" He dared to grin and wag his tail, not knowing that he probably just lit the short fuse of a firecracker.