And something occurs to Arlo when he notices her face suddenly more in-view because bite-brained as he may be, Court's been was his best friend through two marriages and the intervening period. Her tone and sprinkled-in reassurances communicate more than they fix.

He pauses to shoo away Otto (for the second time; everyone's favourite Responder finally waves him off and Just Leaves, which is fine with him) so he can clutch her shoulders and give her a full view of his face. With red seeping from his eyes and more smeared across his cheeks—and, oh god, if you could see the state of his hair under his hat? that lick of bangs sticking out from the closure like a narwhal horn's only the beginning—it ain't his prettiest presentation but he wants her to know that he's made it back. Like everybody has, and will be, at least so far.

He also opens his eyes wide because he wants her to know he doesn't have a concussion.

He looks insane.

"We got this, C."