"Yeah, well. Life's too short to beat around the bush. Don't you think? Hey, I wouldn't mind dirtying Frenchie up some. He looks like he could use it," he said through a grin. He saw right through Rictor's hesitation. "Yeah, that kind of movies. It's cool, man, all good. I appreciate the honesty," he said, nodding his approval.
He waited for Ric to pause, listening. His curiosity was officially piqued. He had to snort. "Driven is one word for it," he said. He was reserving judgment on that one.
Frederick pretended to be laid back, but he really was a high-strung, very proud man. He wouldn't forgive and forget Havok's violence any time soon. The way he saw it, even if he had been in the wrong about changing plans on the go, which he still wasn't convinced he was, didn't mean it was okay for Alex to go off on him to the point of punching him. If Frederick was even a little big dumber, he would have probably shifted his arms and done his best to shred Alex to ribbons and the hell with the Haven being his last hope of finding a safe place to live.
"A rough time, huh? Well, hell. Who hasn't?" he snapped, making himself wince. Guilt and curiosity won out in the end. "Sorry. Not your fault, man. So... what is it? Somehow I doubt he was all chuckles before, considering, but... what happened to him anyway?"