[Tek's answer is, likewise, not surprising, though now he has to think of what comes next. the man's distraction is welcome, since it gives him time to think... though, what his friend holds up for him is even more welcome.

it's like he read his mind.] Ah--thank you, darling.

[he'll come over, take one, and put it on immediately. in addition to being extremely soft (it's hard not to nestle in it out of instinct), it goes a long way towards making him feel a little less vulnerable about everything. now he can peel off his own shoes in relative psychological peace.

so he continues.]

Well, I worked with him a long time ago. And, frankly, I was much better at it than he was... Then I disappeared, he probably got promoted up to Surface work--and my guess is that he spotted me out of nowhere several years later and either panicked, or had gotten cocky enough to think he can take out two people on an open street with a bunch of windows.

[the good side of his face frowns, the bad side stays eerily still.]

I think we might have been a couple for a while, but honestly... I was kind of a mess back then, I can't remember how serious he thought it was... or if it'd be enough to murder someone over...