He watched Bariyan, not wholly reassured. The laugh...Bariyan didn't laugh much. At all. And in the context of being alive, well...Martin was left very uncertain.

Was it best to take him at his word? What did it say about him if he couldn't do that? Bariyan was different now, but still Bariyan. Laughter, life...pieces of Bariyan he hadn't know until now. That's all, right? It was as he'd just said: it wouldn't matter, so long as he could take care of him.

But not worry about him? Impossible.

"Is it better here?" he asked, trying to get ahead of his circular thoughts. "Now that you're healed...seeing this place. What are you thinking about it?"