Re: quicklog: neil/mere
[For a brief moment, he felt a pang of guilt that his weariness was so noticeable. He should have tried harder to hide it. But then he realized that was flawed thinking; being honest was probably best, and keeping things buried would just make the situation worse. After all, Neil had tried to shoulder the responsibility on his own, shutting her out in the process, and look where that'd gotten them.] I'm not very good at hiding it, I suppose. [He made an attempt at humor, but it was a poor one. He took a bide of food instead.
Okay wasn't very convincing, but he was unsure of whether he should push or just let it be.] Just okay? [It was tentative, a sort of middle ground, and he looked down at his plate as she continued, saying that it would've been easier for him had she not come along.] That's not true, Mere. [He looked up.] I know my family hasn't exactly been... welcoming. And I've been distant. But you're not the problem.