He almost wonders if maybe he shouldn't have said anything, he can recognize this now for what it is, the tight set of his jaw, the way he can't look him in the eyes. He'll give him the time he needs, quiet as he takes Alexei's hand in his, thumb gently moving back and forth over the back of his hand.

For all that he wants to just scoop him up and hold him, just touching his face before when they'd been in the storage had gotten him jumpy. He won't make the same mistakes again as much as he wants to.