[you bet he does... what, should he just say it some more out in public then???]

Ah, I spoke to her briefly when she was stuck on a slide in Freya House and had a paper bag on her head. I think I helped her a bit--at least, she was no longer stuck to the slide.

[He tentatively leaves the trolling aspect out.]

As for him... well, I suppose there wouldn't have been much point in it anyway. Technically, we've only known each other for a couple of weeks.

[Technically.] Besides, it's complicated. I suppose it's just as well that none of them are involved here. It would be a complication, even if it would be somewhat ... more familiar.

[Less "lonely." He supposes. That word makes it sound bad, though...]

I think it's probably worse to have had them here and for them to have left. [Another brief squeeze of his arm around her.]