Declan could think whatever he wanted; aloud, he agreed with Aoba, and that was what the man wanted to hear. Feeling the Guardian’s brow on his shoulder continued to shift his thoughts away from himself and to the other, and comforting him sat better with Aoba than being the one comforted did. Now his fingers moved, but it was comforting strokes, smoothing colorless strands of hair with his fingers.

At least he had a family to go back to, he thought, further adjusting the train of his thoughts. He had his Granny, and he had his friends. He’d even be glad to see Yoshie again! But Declan…even if he seemed to have people he got on with, like Mac, and people who liked him, like the Speaker, the bartender, Tess, and half a dozen others…well, he’d said it himself. He had no one to come home to.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he answered softly, with just a brief little wondering if that figure of speech still meant anything when the moon and stars were at stake. He didn’t dwell on it, though. He had to get home, yes, but there were still things he wanted to see with Declan before he went.