[It takes substantial self-control not to throw her arms around him on sight, but Sunny was never quite a hugger (and really, neither was Aubrey); only with Mari. His sister.m

[Sunny’s arms are closed in upon himself, and Aubrey inadvertently mirrors. He looks smaller than he sounded; pale, undernourished, wiping his eyes. He was a hollow facsiile of himself at church, and she’s hardly seen him since—looked, yes, passed and disregarded, but never seen.

[Aubrey doesn’t know what to say. She shuffles in like an unwilling trespasser.]

H-hey… [The room gets a passing skim, but it’s Sunny she’s trying not to stare at. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry—]

You’ve, ah… [Aubrey forces a glance towards the stuffed animals. It wanders idly back to the floor as she talks.] You’ve made it cozy here…