Sun Mote Copse Don't be shy, mortal man.

Anticipation burrowed beneath his skin, coursing along his veins as the tension built. Reyes thought he was in for a smack-down. That's always the way, right? Say something a little bit wrong, a little too sharp, or to the wrong person, and find yourself eating teeth. There was a look on Niamh's face that Reyes could not recognize, volleying between white-hot anger and something far colder - more resigned, which did not make sense to him.

She seemed to deflate - not by much, but enough. He felt the anticipation die inside of him and go stale, an ache spreading between his shoulders. When she did speak it was through clenched teeth. 

Apparently I'm your aunt. Niamh. Which made all the sense in the world; his sister and this woman were so similar in appearance after all, and shared the same name. It had to have come from somewhere - but nobody had told Reyes his father had family, beyond the one he'd saw fit to abandon. It took a moment for the statement to sink in, and while it did, Niamh watched him. Studied him. He didn't like having her eyes lingering on his face the way they did - brought back some bad memories.

Rather than stare her down, he averted his eyes.

Family had once been very important to Reyes. All he'd wanted was to bring together his scattered siblings, maybe even track down his deadbeat dad, and take back their coastal home. Too much had happened to him at this point for the sentiment to remain.

The sea had never been in his blood. He was more like his father in that regard; a fact that he'd been trying to run from. As far as Reyes knew Firefly had lingered long enough to get his jollies with both his mothers, then fucked off forever. If that was the stock he came from then what kind of man did that make him? What kind of family could he piece together with the knowledge Niamh shared? She was probably just as much a bastard as his father.

So his thoughts went; a tumult of rage he'd done his best to contain.

When he finally looked back to Niamh his face was pinched, his jaw set with tension. What was he supposed to say? Hello, nice to meet you, are you as much of a whore as your brother? Does abandonment run in the family? The look on her face would have been earth-shattering if her opinion mattered at all to him - and it didn't. He saw disappointment, but it was mirrored on his own face. 

What, are we supposed to hug now or something? He drawled rhetorically. The agitation that had swarmed throughout his body had lessened some, but it was clear by the stiff manner of his stance he wasn't about to close the distance. I have a better idea. How about we don't, and I go find something useful to do instead.

The look on Reyes' face said it all: he was done here, but he wouldn't leave without dismissal like a good little crewmate. So much for that fresh start.