Broken Boulder peel back your skin and try to forget how it feels

When he finally found his friend, his approach was slow; almost as reluctant as Delight was to allow it. In his panic, he had momentarily forgotten his newest Weird Delight-Related Feelings. He remembered now, halting perhaps a bit further back than he might have normally. After the birth, Alarian had been freed of any doubts he had carried regarding the children's paternity. And that— that was, unexpectedly, almost painfully uncomfortable to accept. Looking at him now, suddenly he didn't want to talk about Lily— actually, no, suddenly he didn't want to talk to Delight at all, about anything.
Hey, Alarian managed to keep his own voice passive, his expression neutral, swallowing back the words he had been so ready to spill. He found that he wasn't ready in the slightest, now; he could smell the puppies on Delight, faintly, and something ugly twisted in his chest. How are— how is everything?
There was genuine concern in the question, if muted by his stormy thoughts. He noted the slight tremble of his friend's legs, whatever that expression on his face was— and half-hoped it was something bigger than what he was dealing with now. Only half, because that could mean it was worse, and none of them needed that kind of distraction. And, well, he didn't know what he'd do if— okay, Ali, we're not going there.