Colin's posts

Evan was reluctant to let go, but he allowed himself to. He then nodded when she said he had work.

"Bye for now." he said.

With that, he quickly left, before he could cry in front of her, and Arryn gestured for her to enter the office.

She did, where Hal and Ty were waiting for her.

"Were you able to have a good talk with your son?" Hal asked.

"I will." Evan promised.

"I'll make it a point to email and text on alternating days." he told her.

With that, they reached the receptionist's area for Hal's office, and Evan looked at her once more.

He was silent, before giving her yet another hug, and holding her close.

"I love you, Mom." he said.

"Take care." he whispered.

Evan almost started crying, but managed to hold it back, as he nodded.

"I love you, too." he said.

"So much..." he said further with a sniffle.

"And... yes. Yes, I do want to walk with you up to his office." he then told her, grabbing a 'be right back' sign. The two then left the office and he hung the sign on the door, before they started to walk.

"...that hour went by too quick..." he mumbled.

Evan nodded.

"Of course." he said.

They then spent their time talking to each other, catching up, chatting it up, shooting the breeze, until Evan received a call on his desk phone.

"Excuse me." he told Casey, before answering it.

"Dr. Fyrane here." he said into it. "...oh. Oh, yes. Yes, of course. Of course." he responded to whomever was on the other end. "Yes, of course. I understand. No, it's all right." he finished, before the call was ended.

"...an hour goes by so fast..." he mumbled.

"You're wanted in Agent Sharp's office." he told her.

Evan shook his head.

"Do it only if you feel it's safe to." he told her.

"The occasional text will be fine. Only call if you feel it's truly safe to." he insisted.

"Your safety is... well, it's the priority in all this." he told her further.

"I'll deal with this, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me." he then said with a small smile.

"I just want you to be safe in all this."

Evan looked away slightly.

"I was to just do the same, too." he told her.

"...but I can't. I have people that are relying on me. People that still need my help." he said. "So I have to be strong. I have to push back my own panic, and keep strong." he reasoned.

"I just need to look forward to the future." he then said.

"One where we don't need to worry about... all this." he went on.

"I'll do what I can to help Sammy as well... if I can, at all." he then assured her.

"You just... worry about keeping yourself as safe and hidden as possible."

Evan smiled a little.

"I'm older." he said. "By a little under a year." he told her.

"But yes, working for the government DOES have its perks." he agreed, sipping some of the tea.

"And I promise I'll do all I can to keep myself, and Blair, as safe as possible." he assured her.

"You just take care of yourself out there." he went on.

"I take it Sammy isn't taking this so well, though..." he then mumbled, thinking about his sister.

Evan nodded.

"Extreme caution does seem to be the order of the day." he agreed. "...day... week... month... year..." he then started to list off, growing more anxious with each word, before he shook his head again.

"Sorry." he apologised.

"But Mom? Take care out there." he told her.

"I hope this works and you fly under the radars you want to fly under."

"We're okay." Even said.

"We're doing okay. We'll be okay." he said further.

"And... I'll be fine." he then told her.

"I'll just need to remember that I can't just go and see you whenever I like for... however long..." he mumbled.

"I'll... cope. I'll be all right."

Evan chuckled nervously.

"She's shown me her claws." he stated.

"Said anyone that messes with Mira gets them across the face. Repeatedly." he mumbled.

"Don't need to tell ME twice." he added.

"..." he was then silent, as he poured their tea and made it just the way the two of them liked it, and handed Casey a mug.

"Here, Mom." he said.

Evan just looked off to the side, a little embarrassed.

"Pretty well." he said.

"Mira was busy, she was feeling tired, so I was a bit of a surrogate." he told her.

"She said I was 'the second best cuddle-buddy she's had'." he went on. "...you can guess who the first one is." he continued.

"Seems she likes playing with my ears as well." he added.

"She'll tweak them occasionally when she's feeling super-friendly."

Evan just chuckled.

"She brings out the kitten in me." he said.

"..." he was then silent, before biting his lip slightly, and standing up. He made his way to his desk and dug through a drawer, before producing a photo and handing it towards her.

"This was taken by her partner, Mira, one summer afternoon that was... particularly lazy..." he muttered.

When Casey looked at it, she saw that Evan had fallen asleep in a sunbeam in one of the many conference rooms, and Peyton had decided to join him. And that Evan had decided that her tail was the perfect thing to use as a cuddle-toy.

Evan nodded.

"I have, indeed." he confirmed.

"And yes, she has... a LOT of energy." he agreed. "More than anyone I've ever met before in my LIFE." he told her.

"Also, yeah, she's cute." he agreed.

"Her and Mira make a cute couple." he said further.

"And odd one... but a cute one."

Evan paused for a moment, almost realising what she said, himself.

"Oh, ah, yeah, actually." he said.

"There's people from all walks of life here. My ears are... well, they're almost normal in this place." he chuckled.

"And I've found people will open up more to someone that can relate to being different." he reasoned.

"But yeah, here, I'm far more comfortable in my own skin." he told her.

"So the ears are in full view." he finished, as one tweaked a little.