He'd gotten to 28 by the time Alex spoke, just outside the door. Not just bursting into the room as she normally would. And he remembered hell, the things he saw, she'd been here before, bursting in for a house meeting. Him hiding the then empty flask of blood. Neither she nor Tom any the wiser.
"...29...30" he said, simply unable to stop at 28. There had to be some manner of order to these things. He did pause after he stood up to ensure he looked, appropriate. He'd never have worried before, but things were different now.
He opened the door and again was taken aback by her eyes. Her ice blue eyes. Oh he'd seen them. Or the other him had seen them, mocked them. Mocked what he'd made her. But now all he could do was focus on the weight of the domino as it threaded through his fingers.
"I'm not busy. I mean I am, Rather, I have been keeping busy. Ensuring I have something to fill my days with. I've not yet made a chart you see so everything is rather all over the place. Once the house was appropriately clean I was at a loss I suppose on what I could do with myself." It was happening again, unable to stop speaking, just rambling.
"Sorry, I...do come in." he said, still nervous at the formality of it all. This was Alex. His Alex. Though he supposed not anymore.
"I've missed you." he said simply, honestly. "Whatever my faults, everything I must atone for I just needed you to know that. I truly have missed you Alex."