Stone Circle sychid thrum

"I am, too," said Murdock with a sad little smile. Hopefully, it would happen again in Steph's lifetime. Perhaps they would even be able to watch it together.

He cleared his throat when she asked her question, uncomfortably aware of the wettness in his lungs. "I've been good," he replied, and since there had been some very nice things in his life lately, it wasn't even a lie. Not totally, anyway. The annecdote that followed, however (detailing the odd interaction he'd ostensibly wittness between a chipmunk and a mockingbird) was entirely made up.

But Murdock told the story anyway, hoping it would distract Steph from questions about Poppy (which he feared would incite jealousy) or from realizing he'd spent much of his time asleep, lately (which he feared would incite guilt). And if his voice was a little raspier than usual, lately, well... he had allergies, alright?