"You could say that," he replied on an unsteady exhale, and that was about all he was willing to give up on the topic. It'd been a couple years now, but then again, maybe this was just one of those things you never quite forgot.

If nothing else, it'd shaped him--molded him into the person he was today.

Zephyr allowed Kiden to lead him down the hall and out into the open--remaining eerily quiet as she did so. As they exited, he held up a hand to shield his eyes from the sun dying on the horizon. When he eventually lowered his hand, Zephyr frowned at the sunset, eyes squinting against the bright light, but it looked like he'd at least managed to get a check on his temper.

"After you smoke, let's go grab somethin' to eat. I'm fuckin' starving." It wasn't the truth, really, but it was a step back toward normality.