[A faint coil of tension at the kiss, awkward-uncertain at the degree of tenderness, but it doesn't ripple from his damaged mind to his damaged body; and his voice when he responds is dry, fussy and fond and intransigent.]

I maintain he was younger and stupider than you.

Before the pits -

[He really was fearless; careless. He was never not defiant, but it was flippancy before conviction.]

He changed. Not enough to stop laughing, never that, you're right. But changed.

[He grew up, much though Marsh struggled to believe it at first.]