“Cato.” Mav said again, standing in the doorway of the boy’s room, leaning with one shoulder on the frame, a hand on his hip. He was a master at looking nonchalant when he didn’t feel that way. He didn’t now. Cato had been holed up in his room all day. “You hear me?”
The boy turned his head finally, mandibles loose. “No, sorry. What?”
“Vee and I are gonna put together somethin’ of a cookout.” He repeated. “Y’know, with Igni and Eros. And you. Outside in the yard.”
His real lack of interest rubbed Mav’s plating all backwards. It was hard to take care of someone that wouldn’t take care of himself just because he didn’t feel like it. Mav tried not to let it make him angry. “Mhm, the sun’ll be settin’ in ‘bout an hour and I know you like it that way, but I’ve got some tea lights set up so the rest of us can see.”
The boy shrugged. “In a little while.”