Oh I never did strike a balance. I bought the Moulin Rouge to keep him happy— now look at me.

[And oh, on some level, beneath the lightness of a punchline only halfheartedly delivered it's entirely serious. Only a wry quirk at the far corner of his mouth betrays the weight of it, appearing not out of some smug sense of satisfaction or amusement, but purely for the look shot back at him through bright green eyes.

Grown in stature, yes, but not in heart. Not just yet. Still the young boy he's well familiar with, as bewildered as he ever was.

And then:]

Hmph.

[He shakes his head.]

You could try starting by not holding yourself responsible for what he says or does.

Or plots.