He offered no response to her answer, and in the next moment she was gone. He could feel his emotions weighing him down, so, after one quick survey of the bed to ensure everything was indeed cleaned up, he sat on the edge of the mattress. He tried to focus on his breaths - inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth, repeat - until he felt the tightness in his chest beginning to fade. Defining the emotion was easy enough, but figuring out how to handle it was the most difficult part. Talking about it, while the most obvious option, was something he wasn't sure he could really talk to Febby about. How could he possibly take away her joy by weighing her down with his feelings? To make her feel guilty for her body resuming its normal functions just seemed - well, cruel.

He didn't have much time to weigh the pros and cons of his alternatives, as Febby suddenly appeared back in the room the next moment. He avoided eye contact at first, hoping his own somber emotions no longer remained on his face, but when he did glance up, it was obvious her expression mirrored his own.

It was not the face of a woman who was happy.

"Febs?" he murmured, the tightness in his chest slowly creeping back in. "Are you alright?"

---