“Okay,” Zayde nodded, looking mildly like a deer in headlights but that seemed to be more him internally working up the courage to commit to the idea than it was an indication he was about to run away screaming.
“Well you give more of a shit about me not fucking myself up so far than my actual dad, so I guess you got more right to get called that than my real one, huh?” he muttered, a nervous attempt at a joke but instead just sounded painfully awkward, causing Zayde to blush deeply and shy away, cursing himself.
He took another step closer before reaching out, his fingers brushing over the back of Zayde’s hand. There wasn’t much that could be said about the attempt at humor when it sounded more depressing than funny.
“He doesn’t need to exist inside this place, okay?”

