"This is bad," he said quietly, more to himself than to her. "This is really, really bad."
Shuyin moved closer, slow and careful, like approaching a wounded animal. She placed a comforting hand on his arm, her touch light but warm. "We'll get through it," she said softly, infusing her voice with hope and determination. "Together. Like we used to handle everything together."
He looked at her, and god, the conflict in his eyes was almost painful to witness. He wanted so desperately to believe her, to believe this could be fixed, to believe he could control the situation like he'd controlled everything else in his perfectly managed life. But there was doubt there too, creeping in around the edges. Suspicion. Fear.
"Your eyes," he said suddenly, latching onto something practical, something he could address. "People are going to ask about your eyes. Why did they change color? That's going to come up."
