“Damn skippy,” she said, trying to look fierce when a sudden laugh interrupted it, as she heard herself. “Uhh. My word choice there kind of ruins the badassness, doesn’t it? Please don’t tell anyone I said that.” She was a little bemused by his logic—but supposed that coming out to the second kitchen was at least one step closer to civilization than his room, even if it wasn’t joining them for mealtimes. “Well, there has to be some better incentives than that. What else would get you out?” She didn’t really think that introversion was a problem to be solved exactly, especially since he probably had his reasons, but she did want to offer anything she could to make him more at home around here.
Thomas laughed again, unable to help himself in the face of Aleda’s fierceness. “I am very good at keeping secrets, I will take it to the grave.” To emphasize, he held up the three fingers for scout’s honor. He had never been a boy scout, but he figured that it still worked. More or less. “Not much, honestly.” Thomas shrugged. It was the trouble with being content. There wasn’t much to be used for incentive. “I generally rely on the knowledge that I really should come out and talk to people every now and then.” It wasn’t always enough, but it would work eventually. “My anxiety isn’t always this bad. It comes in waves, you know.”








