Broken Boulder but then the special secret sickness starts to eat through you

he winces before he can help himself when she calls him on his bullshit niceities. maybe he should have said no -- but it's too late now. stepping back down would just hurt alarian and probably make him look worse to the rest of the pack. 

"um, yeah. thank you," delight mumbles, looking more miserable than he'd like to let on. "any advice -- or uh, insight -- you've got to offer is appreciated," he adds hesitantly, hoping she'll accept it as an olive branch and not take it as condescention. i mean. he's gotta try, at least.