Firefly Glen a bigger man than you, he stepped on me

Once upon a time, empathy had come naturally to Winterbourne, but the inclination has long been buried under ego and anger; he struggles now to understand what emotion has overcome the dark youth, head tilting slightly at his nervous display. The smile reads as encouraging, oblivious as he is despite his best efforts, though the stranger's continued struggle with speech makes him wonder if something is wrong with him. Something more than shyness. Either way, an eternity seems to stretch between them as the boy struggles, and with each passing second Winterbourne feels a little more awkward and a little less confident.
When the other boy finally speaks, the feeling is similar to the arrival of the beloved but chronically late guest of honor at a party; he's too charmed to feel frustrated, but the relief is palpable as he's offered a way to move forward with the interaction. That's pretty, He says without thinking, a little flustered himself by the suspense of it all and perhaps too eager to say something to help the situation. His ears flush with heat and he adds quickly: So do you um, live around here? He can only hope Arcturus's apparent inability to speak properly will keep him from saying anything about the first comment, though he feels a little rude for the thought.