Greg saw his effect on Theo and he felt immediately bad. He lifted Theo to his feet and leaned in, to wrap his arms about Theo, trying to convey more comfort, "Oh baby, I didn't mean to scare you. You know me. I'm Greg, the damn rhino in the china cupboard. I've got bullocks for brains sometimes, love," he said as he gave him a hug. He leaned back, and then scooped up Theo, to lay him gently on the bed.
"Okay, Theo, love, Greg wants to have a look at your tummy. You going to raise your shirt so Greg can kiss it all better?"
He didn't mean to make it sound like Theo was a child, but he wanted to reassure the thin boy. He wasn't sure if anyone talked to Theo like that, even when he was a child. So he went on, "Maybe if you're good, Greg can kiss other things as well, if you'd like."
It was a sort of tease, but one that he'd used in school, and part of him was curious as to which Theo would respond better to: the younger way of being treated or the way he'd treated him in school.