Yes, well .. he might have been the type to take his time about this sort of thing, but once he finally got around to talking to his sister about important things, he tended to clam up a little and put it off for as long as possible.

All right, all right .. he could more than tell when she was done putting up with him beating around the bush, and he didn't want to anger her any more than he already had.

North sighed - a deep, heavy thing that caught in the back of his throat as he smoothed a hand back through his hair. "Does the fact that you opted to live with strangers have anything to do with us?"

Oh yeah, totally starting it off with a question that .. is ultimately going to be turned back on him. Way to go, North. Way to go.