Julien pulled back, feeling wounded but reprimanding himself for doing so, knowing that it was the least he deserved. An apology was on his lips too, but he didn't think he should voice it either.
He got up and moved away from Alfie, but he didn't move out of eyesight, just sat himself down on the ground a little way aways and watched the other boy out of the corner of his eye, not even facing him to try and give him some privacy but unable to leave him completely on his own. He curled an arm around his own knees and started tugging up the grass the way he'd done that day out in the forest.