"Professor," he muttered, disgusted that his emotions had tripped him up this way. He followed her heels, then paused, hand on the door frame. He followed the sounds silently, then counted five steps, one hand stretched out low.
He found the armrest of a simple chair and slid into the seat, not reaching for the dish just yet, but turning toward the soft cry. "How's Little Bat?"
He wished he could see him. "I bet he's grown..." Alex slid searching fingertips across the edge of the desk, fishing out one jelly slug and putting it into his mouth.
"Thanks. But..." He swallowed around the melting slug, rubbing the stud in his tongue along the slimy thing. "Why?"