No, he's from past even my time, the furthest ahead of all of us.
[ Gregor wouldn't think anything of it but that his poor mother deserves for once in her life to be better treated. He resolves to start that now. This isn't as much of a vacation for himself as he'd first thought, but it's still something of a one, and it absolutely can be for her even moreso than him. ]
Take all the time you need, [ he says firmly, though still in his soft tones. Gregor is habitually a quiet person, but with his mother he's not sure his voice will ever reach a higher register than this, simply out of suppressed emotion and deference (and a lurking, throat-clenching reluctance to seem at all like his father). ]
We've an extra room here you may use until you recover enough to seek your assigned housing. Please stay as long as you like. [ There's some element of subtle plea to that, Gregor having a hard time stepping away translating directly into having a hard time letting her out of his sight at all. At the same time, he feels unnerved, almost unstrung-- what does he do with her? How does he act? And, God, worst of all, how can he possibly be open about Miles with her...
No, that's one thing Gregor can't think about and have any hope of acting the dutiful, put together, unhaunted son. ]
no subject
[ Gregor wouldn't think anything of it but that his poor mother deserves for once in her life to be better treated. He resolves to start that now. This isn't as much of a vacation for himself as he'd first thought, but it's still something of a one, and it absolutely can be for her even moreso than him. ]
Take all the time you need, [ he says firmly, though still in his soft tones. Gregor is habitually a quiet person, but with his mother he's not sure his voice will ever reach a higher register than this, simply out of suppressed emotion and deference (and a lurking, throat-clenching reluctance to seem at all like his father). ]
We've an extra room here you may use until you recover enough to seek your assigned housing. Please stay as long as you like. [ There's some element of subtle plea to that, Gregor having a hard time stepping away translating directly into having a hard time letting her out of his sight at all. At the same time, he feels unnerved, almost unstrung-- what does he do with her? How does he act? And, God, worst of all, how can he possibly be open about Miles with her...
No, that's one thing Gregor can't think about and have any hope of acting the dutiful, put together, unhaunted son. ]