A Musebox for Flying Squids

The pause there is the damn near pregnant sort, heavy with weight and expectation -- promise too, but also a touch of dread. He can rationalize it; he has given and thus now he can receive and this too will be a lesson, or he can admit he would actually just prefer simple contact while he handles the matter himself, wanting both human warmth and an echo of something like affection or camraderie.

He chooses to remain a teacher, instead.

"If it so pleases you then, Ser Estinen, I will take my piece," he says; and there is some shuffling as small clothes are discarded.