More than anything

He's a little taken aback by the question, once he parses it, his eyes going a bit wide before he recovers himself with an awkward chuckle. It's not exactly something he hid. He even tried to explain it to Regan, once, before he really knew how. And it certainly doesn't surprise him that Saoirse picked up on it and talked about it herself. He smiles a little, fondly remembering how kind she'd been at her birthday party, a while ago now but still dear to his heart.

"She is," he agrees. "And she's right. I was really lonely."

It's hard to convey what that means. He hesitates, mulling it over.

"You've talked to John, right?" he says, knowing the answer but finding it more polite to ask. "You know how our home is... weird."