He nods, quietly noticing her grip on her beer bottle, and suddenly just wanted to tread lightly. She had been his greatest champion here, so far, besides Washington. There weren't any answers and there weren't any easy questions, and for a moment he missed the sheer simplicity of existing under the shadow of the ranking board.

He rubs his hand over his head for a moment, then knocks back the rest of his beer and stands to go get another. His dog watches, ears perked, sitting up when he moves out of view and trying to keep her eyes on him with a slight whine.