"I woulda voted for you," he says, still so close to laughing. It hurts. He drops his hands onto the table and stares at them for a few seconds more before he lifts his eyes, the corner of his mouth twitching. "And again? I'm really fucking sorry I missed that."

He reaches out again and closes his hand over the one Neil is picking at. Touching him... it feels like a rule with some give now. One that he might be allowed to break, albeit only a little.

"Whether it really was me or it wasn't... it doesn't fucking matter. I'm sorry I missed any of it."