Ford sniffled. He may not have actually cried yet but this was a sure sign that he'd been on the verge, if nothing else was. He wasn't sure how to feel about the prospect of Dodonus seeing him cry. He hadn't cried in front of other people since he was twelve years old. He'd come close with Noble once or twice, but even with Noble he always felt the need to put on a facade of having everything together. Someone had to be strong for everyone in the family, when everything else was falling apart, and that responsibility — like every other responsibility — fell to Ford. Dodonus didn't have that same dynamic; Ford didn't feel like he had to pretend to be anything around him, including strong. But that didn't necessarily mean he was comfortable with the idea of breaking down and crying on his shoulder.

"Thanks," he said with a nod. "I have a few minutes, I guess. For tea."

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