He took a few steps towards her standing at the foot of the stairs. "I know, but it's still fighting. It's stupid." This was supposed to be their happy reunion, after all. "You know what I'm like." She could hardly have forgotten. He was messy and lazy and irritating, but that had never mattered to her because she'd loved him.
He took one step up to stand closer to her. "I'm trying to learn how to do this again," he said, trying to sound calmer, looking up at her. He didn't have to look up much; even though he was standing below her on the stairs, he was taller than her. "I didn't eat the bloody stuff to piss you off, you know."