Me and animals have never been on the right foot. Probably more a me thing.

[He takes the soda from her, at first, to be polite. They were too sweet to him, all of them cloying and thick…but when she asks that, he’s struck with the urge to drink it like a beer. He has a sip before answering.]

Yes. He was…comfort and home. [He smiles softly, his voice turning gentle as he looks down to the blanket.] He let me spoil him and sometimes he’d read me his poetry. I…

[Can’t make his mouth work and the moment of floundering for his words is swiftly covered with another sip from the sugary drink.]