"I'm okay," he said, trying to sound soothing. "I'm not that easy to kill." He'd tried more than once over the years, but nothing took. Probably because his friends kept the deadlier weapons away when he looked like he might spiral, but still.

But it warms him, more than a little, to know she really does care, that it really does matter to her what happens to him.

"Thank you. For taking care of the situation when I couldn't."