[She'd meant it to be a tease, and maybe she's trying too hard in that vein, trying to reclaim that level of communication between them when they'd find their way back to it in their own time. But the way he's ignored it is something else, and she looks up at him for a long moment, brow pinching.

She knows what he's saying. But she also remembers how this started, the tiny bonds of trust they'd formed between them, linking stronger and stronger. She stands up from the bed again, stepping into his space, a hand lifting to his elbow as she meets his gaze, steady.]

You know I'm never gonna make you tell me what's going on with you or your pack.

[They'd always done that. Respected each other's lines, the circles of people and information they handled.]

But if you're dealing with shit, I'm always gonna be here to deal with it with you.

[She could handle whatever position it might put her in. And they could handle the rest together.]