"Well, maybe a little..."
Banshees, he decided. The wind reminded him of banshees, from the old stories he had read with his guardian long ago, out of a faded book worn down over the years of use. It had been her brother's, his guardian, she who had hatched him, had said as the two sat together under the warm blanket. A relic from her old "monster tracker" days, she had told him with a wistful sigh before quickly adding that she had grown out of that old childish game.
Twilight Sparkle had always been a horrible liar, and her skills in treachery and deceit hadn't improved much over the years. Normally a commendable characteristic, it put her at an unfortunate disadvantage after she became a princess and entered the world of politicians. He, on the other hand, was an amazing liar, so impressively tricky he managed to deceive even himself.
"Don't worry, Twilight, I can totally take care of Starburst while you're out," Spike grumbled, two tiny equine babies whimpering and moaning in his arms. "Of course I can handle three foals all on my own, who do you think I am? Don't you worry about a thing." He stumbled as a small lavender filly latched onto his leg and gnawed at it. Her fangs weren't sharp enough to pierce through his scales, nor were her jaws strong enough to hurt, but the glare her pale draconic eyes gave him chilled the dragon; he'd have felt more warmth outside with the howling banshees and snow. She had learned that little trick from her dear mother, and the narrow eyes she had inherited from him added to its frigidity.
"I'm not a foal, Daddy!" she asserted with a pout. The slight edge in her voice as she attempted to emulate her mother's baroque accent was offset by the squeak in her voice. Suddenly, her glare didn't seem so threatening, and Spike bit back a laugh.
"Of course not, Claire," Spike said, gently shaking his daughter off his leg. "You're a big girl, aren't you?"
"Right!" Crystal Clarity declared proudly, her horned head held high.
"And that means you'll help me change Turquoise's diaper, right?" Spike asked with a smirk. The filly had disappeared by the time he finished turning his head, but he could still hear the scratches her claws made against the floor as she scurried away. "No running in the house!" he called out. "You know your mother doesn't like that."
Shaking his head, the dragon continued on his path. He winced as the green colt in his arms nibbled at his ear fin and growled softly. Spike could feel the edges of the foal's teeth. "Won't be long before Rarity switches you to bottles, T," he said, tickling the colt's belly. "Then maybe I'll finally have her all to myself again." Turquoise Blitz giggled and grabbed at Spike's finger with his tiny claws, his small leathery wings beating uselessly against him.
The yellow filly beside Turquoise began to whimper now, prodding and poking the dragon's cheek with her round hooves. Her wings stretched and bent in Spike's grasp, and Spike quickly loosened his grip to give her feathered appendages more room to breath. "Don't worry, Starburst, I didn't forget you," he said, dipping his head and blowing raspberries in the filly's stomach. She screamed and giggled, wiggling her legs in the air. Spike's smile grew larger but quickly contained it as he watched Starburst's violet eyes widen. Those eyes, the same as her mothers, were a mirror, reflecting the rows of powerful bone shattering fangs that stuck out of his gums.
Starburst's whimpering renewed, along with Turquoise, and a quick pat against the linen on their bottoms reminded him the problem. Spike quickened his pace and rushed to one of Rarity's old storage rooms that had been repurposed as a nursery. Spike tried to ignore the staring mannequins as he grabbed a pair of clean diapers and laid the foals on the padded mat covering the table. With his left claw, he cut through the strap of Starburst's soiled linen, slid the new one underneath, then tossed the used diaper into a black plastic bin. At the same time he did the same with Turquoise with his right claw.
The little box passed between his claws as he covered the foals' tender bottoms with powder. Spike set the powder to the side and fastened the straps. He tickled their tiny soles and watched as the two squealed and kicked their feet. Satisfied that the diapers were secure, he took a child in each arm and headed to the bathroom to wash his claws.
The howling wind beat against the window, painting the glass with frost. Spike frowned as he stared outside into the sea of white. "Whelp, at least it'll be a white Hearth's Warming," he muttered. Almost as in reply, the winter wind screamed louder. Turquoise began to sniff and tug at his arm while Starburst buried her head into the dragon's chest, her blue mane shaking.
"Hey, don't worry," he assured, making sure his lips were touching as he grinned. "Your moms and their friends have it all under control. Now, who wants dinner?" Spike asked, starting toward the kitchen. "Claire? Come down for dinner, let's eat!"
There was a loud gasp as Spike stepped into the kitchen. Crystal Clarity was standing on a stool with a claw in a decorative porcelain jar. Crumbs were sprinkled over the countertop and around the filly's chocolate-stained lips.
"H-hi Daddy," Claire said nervously. Spike watched as she slowly removed her claw from the jar. "So, what's for dinner?"
"Hmm, something tells me you've already eaten," Spike said, fighting back laughter. He cleared his voice, forcing it to deepen and sound serious. "What are Mommy's rules?"
Claire rubbed her claws together and stared at the ground. "Don't bother Mommy when she's working, don't touch Mommy's cloth, don't play with Mommy's dresses, don't eat Mommy's jewelry or gems unless they're in the little pink box, don't tease T, don't run in the house, don't play with fire in the house, don't play with magic in--"
"Mommy's rules of the kitchen."
"Don't eat before washing my claws, don't play with my food, don't touch the stove, don't keep snowballs in the icebox, don't play with the oven, don't--"
"Mommy's rules of the kitchen that have to do with cookies," Spike said, leaning forward to pinch the bridge of his snout.
"Don't eat more than three a day, don't eat them before dinner...oh."
"Yep." Spike walked over to Claire's side and tried to kneel while balancing the foals he was carrying. "Now isn't there something you'd like to say."
"Parley?" Claire tested, looking up. Seeing her father's expressionless features, she ducked her head back down. "Sorry, Dad, for breaking Mommy's rule and ruining my appetite," she apologized. "But it's your fault too!"
"Wait, what?" Spike blinked. "My fault?"
"Yeah, you made the cookies too good," Claire said, pointing a finger accusingly. "If you hadn't made the cookies so tasty I wouldn't have to eat them before dinner," the filly argued.
"Uh, sorry?" The apology slipped out of Spike's mouth before he could stop it. He shook his head and frowned at his daughter who grinned triumphantly. Suddenly, Spike began to grin as well and, with his eyes shut, he nodded as if in agreement. "You're right, it's my fault for making those cookies taste so good. What was I thinking, using chocolate chips and chocolate milk? Next time I should just use worms and mud, much cheaper." Spike opened an eye and peeked at the filly turning pale. "Would that solve the problem?"
"No!" Claire screamed, throwing herself onto Spike's legs. "I'm sorry, I'll never break the rules again! I don't want to eat worms, please don't make me!"
The foals in Spike's arms added their cries with Claire's, and Spike suddenly began to regret making his little joke. As he rocked both his son and Twilight's daughter, he leaned down and gently combed Claire's messy purple mane. Slowly, all three children calmed down. "Don't worry," he said, "chocolate chips it is."
"And chocolate milk?" Claire mewled.
"Well, maybe. I thought next time I'd add a few sapphires, just for the two of us?"
Crystal Clarity's eyes grew wide with excitement. Spike dashed away the trickle of drool leaking down her lips. "But you have to be on your best behavior, understand?" he said. Claire nodded repeatedly, bring another smile across Spike's face. "Good," he said, "now why don't you finish off that cookie you were holding?"
Claire gasped. "Really? But what about dinner?"
"If Mom asks, we had soup. No wait, the gas line's frozen. Hmm, we had a salad, okay? But just this once," Spike warned, holding up a single finger to emphasize. "And make sure you leave some salad for me."
The lavender filly nodded and released the dragon. Spike set the two foals into a set of high chairs, making sure Turquoise and Starburst was tightly fastened before leaving to the refrigerator. The calendar on the icebox drew his attention, and he found himself staring at a date with the image of a little evergreen with red and gold dots decorating it. Shaking his head, Spike removed a carton of prepared formula and set it next to the sink. The dragon then made his way to the cupboards and took out a pair of baby bottles. Spike filled the bottles with the milky mixture, screwed the tops back into place, and spat out a stream of emerald flames that licked the edges of the bottles. He winked as Turquoise and Claire cheered noisily while Starburst watched in awestruck silence.
After he felt the milk heat to an appropriate temperature, Spike pursed his lips, cutting the fire from its source, and set the bottles on the trays before the foals. Starburst grabbed her bottle while Spike had still been holding it, and she drank greedily once he had released. Turquoise, however, simply stared at his milk before looking around and whimpering.
Spike sighed. "Sorry, little guy. Mommy's not at home right now, and this is the best Daddy can do." Tears began to fall from the little green colt's eyes, and soon he began to bawl. Spike lifted Turquoise out of his chair and gently rocked him until he calmed down. Spike took the bottle and held the nipple to Turquoise's lips, pushing it softly against them. The colt began to suck, timidly at first, then as hungrily as Starburst had.
Spike placed Turquoise back into his high chair and took the emptied bottles to the sink. Nothing spewed from the faucet when he turned the handle. The dragon frowned and went down onto his knees. He opened the cupboard doors beneath the sink and blew fire on the pipe leading up to the tap. Spike got back to his feet and found a very small stream of water flow out of the faucet, barely more than a trickle. He wetted the bottoms of the bottles and shook the bottles, washing off formula residues, then shut off the water and released another stream of fire to dry the bottles.
The foals in the high chair yawned and rubbed their eyes. Even Claire was having trouble keeping her eyes open. "Bedtime," he announced, lifting Turquoise and Starburst from their seats. "Come on, Claire, I see you yawning."
"Daddy, can we sleep by the fireplace again?" Claire pleaded. "It's too cold upstairs."
"That's a great idea," said Spike, patting his daughter's head affectionately. "Alright, let's get a fire started."
"Yay," Claire cheered tiredly. She stumbled out of the kitchen, guided by her father's soft nudges. Spike guided her past the large tree decorated with the perfect ratio of tinsel, emeralds, rubies, gold bells, and candy canes, courtesy of Rarity's instructions. He guided her past the packages wrapped in colorful paper neatly tied in place with bows. Claire stopped once she had reached the pile of sheets and quilts a safe distance from the fireplace and plopped herself right in the center. Spike gently rolled her to the side and laid the two foals beside her, placing two thick layers of comforters over them.
The dragon tossed a few cut logs into the fireplace and ignited them with a short burst of fire. He heard Claire sigh as warmth filled the room. Spike pulled the metal screen over the fireplace opening and locked it in place. Stepping carefully around the children, the dragon made his way to the couch and sat down. With his claws over his knees, Spike closed his eyes.
There was a loud knock at the front door, a frantic pounding sound. Spike's eyes flew open and immediately went to the children. He breathed freely after counting three lumps under the covers, one larger than the others.
The pounding continued, and Spike got up and walked to the door. His approach was initially cautious as he considered who could possibly out in this weather. Caution swiftly faded to excitement as the hopeful possibilities filled his head, and without bothering with the peephole, the dragon flung the door open.
The wind stung every part of his face, and his claw grew numb. The complete utter whiteness blinded him, and Spike had to blink several times before he could make out the equine figure in front of him. More details came in view, like a pair of goggles over the eyes, yellow fur peeking out of the tan scarves and cloak, and a blue mane sticking out of a gold plated helmet.
"Flash?" Spike said, squinting.
"Y-yeah," the pony managed to say, his teeth clattering together. "L-let me in?"
Spike quickly stepped to the side and ushered the freezing stallion into the house, forcing the door shut after his guest was in. "What are you doing here?" the dragon asked as the pony wiggled his helm off his head. "I thought you were in Canterlot dealing with the riots."
"They've been dealt with," Flash Sentry said, tugging off his scarf. He shook his head. "It's crazy, all of this," he said, gesturing toward the outside. "I mean, this weather, the sudden violence in the streets, what's the world coming to?"
"Who knows?" Spike said as he led Flash into the living room. He quickly checked over the children before offering Flash a seat on the couch. The dragon smiled as he saw Turquoise and Starburst huddled closely together underneath Claire's chin. "I'm sure Twilight and her friends are handling it though."
"I hope so," Flash muttered, rubbing his shoulders and extending his forelegs toward the fireplace. "Hey, uh, I brought some coffee," the guard said, sticking a hoof into the cloak and removing a bright red thermos. "I don't know if you're a fan of the stuff but at least it's warm."
"Thanks," said Spike as he took the thermos. He opened the contain and took a quick swig, wincing as the bitter liquid ran down his throat. "Ugh, yeah, at least it's warm." He chuckled. "I can never understand how you and Twilight can handle this stuff." He set the thermos on the floor between them. "So, how bad's Canterlot?"
"Not much different than Ponyville right now," Flash answered before taking a mouthful of coffee. "I mean, a few hours ago it was horrible, with rioters and looters everywhere. Eventually it got too cold and most of the ponies went home. Those that stayed behind ended up frozen solid." The guard shuddered. "I spent an hour patrolling the city looking for pony-popsicles. When I left, we were still trying to figure out how to get them out."
"Shouldn't you be helping?"
"No point," Flash said, shaking his head. "I was just getting in the way. A lot of us grunts were so the higher ups dismissed half of us."
"How'd you get here?" Spike asked. "I thought the trains were down."
"They are. I flew."
"In this weather?" Spike exclaimed.
Flash Sentry nodded. "I wanted to make sure Starburst was okay. I mean, I trust you and everything," he quickly added, holding up his hooves, "but I just had to see her, hold her, make sure she was alright, for myself really," the stallion admitted. "I..." Flash sighed. "I was scared. Canterlot's citizens are trying to burn down their own city, Equestria's freezing over, I have no idea how my wife's doing...I just wanted to make sure at least my daughter was fine."
"Don't worry about," Spike assured, waving his claw. "I get it, being worried and everything. Heck, I'd probably do the same in your place," he laughed.
Flash stared at the chortling dragon. "You don't, uh, seem too worried."
"You don't think so?" Spike shrugged. "Hmm, maybe I'm not that worried."
The guard fidgeted with the strap on his cloak. "Can I...can I ask you a question?" he said after a moment of silence. "It's...well, it's about Twilight."
Spike blinked in surprise. "Me? Why me?"
"Because you've known her the longest. I mean, you were there before she was princess, when she fought with Nightmare Moon and Discord and the Ursa Minor and Celestia knows what else. You were there when she fought Tirek. How did you do it?"
"Do what?" Spike asked
"How did you keep sane?" Flash said. "How did you keep yourself from going crazy with worry when you knew she was fight against all these powerful enemies? How did you keep yourself from asking every second she was away if you'd ever see her again or from wondering whether the last argument you had with her would be the last words you'd ever say to her again or--"
"Coffee?" Spike offered, holding up the thermos. Flash accept gratefully, guzzling down the bitter black beverage. He waited for the stallion to finish. "Twilight and I, we've been through a lot together. Magic adaptivity tests, history exams, magic theory quizzes, and everything in between. When we were younger, she'd get me all work up over what would happen if she failed, and the two of us would spend hours studying, and we wouldn't be able to sleep. And you know what?" Spike smiled. "She aced everything one of them."
"Okay, but what does--"
"I was a kid, so I was pretty impressionable. After she scored a couple dozen perfect marks I stopped worrying," Spike continued. He folded his claws together and stared into the emerald flames. "I figured there wasn't any reason to worry for Twilight because she was invincible. She was the smartest pony I ever knew, and she's still the smartest pony I've ever known, and she was so good at magic. I was kid, I was impressionable, I thought the mare taking care of me was unstoppable, that there was nothing she couldn't do.
"I guess that kind of thinking carried over once we got older and went to Ponyville. I don't remember too much about the Nightmare Moon incident since I was asleep for most of it," said Spike with a snort, "but that just cemented that belief, that Twilight Sparkle was invincible."
"But she isn't."
Spike's brow rose. "Pardon?"
"Twilight isn't invincible," Flash said. "She an alicorn princess, sure, and she's probably one of the most adept magicians in pony history, but she's still just a pony. She's not a goddess or this unstoppable hero, she just Twilight Sparkle, a wonderful mare who has likes and dislikes like the rest of us. She's still a pony with strengths and weaknesses and...is something funny?"
Spike shook his head but his grin remained. "Twilight used to tell me she started dating you because you didn't treat her like a princess, that you treated her like any other mare. I always thought that was a stupid reason or at least a reason to torch you."
"Uh..." Flash coughed awkwardly. "Right, well, what about Rarity?"
Spike's head tilted slightly to the side. "What about Rarity."
"Well, she isn't Twilight," Flash said. "She's not a super powerful alicorn. She's just an ordinary seamstress. How are you not worried about her."
"Who says I'm not?" Spike demanded, his eyes narrowing.
"Well, what's your secret? How are you so calm when she's out fighting whatever's causing this endless blizzard?" Flash Sentry placed his head between his hooves. "I-I'm sorry, it's just, the stress is killing me. All I can think about is Twilight out all alone in this storm and wondering if I'll ever see her again."
"She isn't."
Flash lifted his head. "What?"
"She isn't alone, just like how I know Rarity isn't alone. Those two have each other and the rest of their friends. They've got a Wonderbolt MVP, the only mare capable of performing a Sonic Rainbow. They're got the head of the Apple family, a mare who fights off chimeras just to deliver pies, and that's on a good day! They've got the greatest party planner in Equestria, a mare who does the impossible as easily as breathing. They've got the mare who convinced the evil scheming spirit of chaos to change his ways.
"You know what those six have done," Spike said, folding his arms over his chest. "Yeah, I'm a little worried. I should be, those are my friends out there saving the world, but I trust them, and I know those six have what it takes to get this done and get back here in time for Hearth's Warming Eve like she promised." The dragon leaned forward. "Don't you trust Twilight? Don't you think she can handle this?"
"I-I want to," Flash said, biting his lip. "I really want to. But what if you're wrong? What if this time's different, and they fail? Or what if not all of them make it? What if Twilight or Rarity are the ones they can't save?"
"I trust--"
"But what if you're wrong?" Flash screamed. "You can't--"
Spike lifted a finger over his lips and hissed fiercely. Flash quickly covered his mouth as he followed the dragon's gaze over to the stirring bundles of blankets in front of the fireplace. The two kept silent until the lumps beneath the covers settled down.
"You can't just assume everything'll be fine just because you think you know them," Flash said more quietly. "Anything could happen."
"Or nothing could happen," Spike countered. "We don't know, and we can't know, and so there's nothing we can do about it. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, and I'll be devastated when the news arrives, but worrying over a hypothetical tragedy isn't going to help." The dragon sighed. "Flash, I'm sorry I can't help you with this. I wish I could, really, but I don't think you'll understand."
"It's fine," Flash Sentry said, leaning back into the couch. "I get the whole worrying won't help part, but I can't help it." He began to sigh as well. "Is there anymore coffee left?"
Spike shook the red container. "Sorry, doesn't seem like it."
"Nuts," the guard grumbled. "Hey, you mind if I ask another question?"
"As long as you don't mind a bad answer."
"That's fine. You ever feel helpless?" Flash asked. "Like, when Rarity and Twilight and the rest of them go off on some world saving adventure and you're stuck indoors safe and sound? Don't you feel like you should be out there instead, not trapped doing grunt work, or at least standing next to her side keeping her safe?"
"Helpless, not really, maybe a little. Useless?" Spike frowned. "All the time. I mean, you see this?" Spike gestured to himself. "This is a dragon in front of you. Granted, a small young dragon with very little fighting experience, but I can take a couple of good solid hits, and I'm stuck babysitting."
"...not a baby..." Claire mumbled in her sleep.
"They've left me out of a bunch of their adventures," Spike said, counting on his fingers. "Sure, I was a kid at the time, couldn't really do much, but I still felt left behind. I felt useless, because my friends couldn't figure out what I could do to help. They'd give me a bunch of menial tasks to keep me busy, but really, it was to keep me out of the way."
"And they're still doing it to you now," said Flash. "So how'd you deal with it?"
"Did Twilight ever tell you the story about when Rarity was kidnapped by diamond dogs?"
"She may have mentioned it in her autobiography."
"Well...Twilight's writing an autobiography?"
"It's a work in progress. So, Rarity being kidnapped by diamond dogs?" Flash prompted.
"Right. Well I had this idea running through my head during the entire situation," Spike explained. "I was going to be Rarity's knight in shining armor, bursting through the gate and protecting her from the evil doers." Spike chuckled. "A pretty childish fantasy, right?"
"You wanted to protect somepony you loved," Flash said. "I don't think that's childish at all. It's how I feel everyday as a guard."
"Well, you know what happened. I didn't become the hero of the story, Rarity did. She saved herself and didn't even need my help. It's the same thing now," Spike said solemnly. "She doesn't need my help because she can handle herself. Hmm, well, that's not entirely true," the dragon decided. "She's got Twilight and the rest of our friends, but the point still applies. She doesn't need me by her side right now. I'm, well, I'm useless."
The crackling of wood was the sole sound in the living room. Spike got up to replace the log and rekindle the flame. Flash offered his help, but Spike politely declined, reminding Flash that he was a guest, and Rarity probably would have skinned her husband alive if he let a guest in there house do something as dirty as tend the fireplace. With little else to do, Flash watched the dragon work. His eyes slowly drifted down to the foals at his feet. He watched as Starburst turned and stuck her hoof in her mouth.
"You're wrong," Flash said as Spike returned to the couch.
"I'm sorry?"
"You're wrong about being useless," the guard said. "Rarity and Twilight might not have needed you on the battlefield beside them, but they still needed you. They needed you here, with your children, with Starburst. There wasn't any other pony they could trust more than you, Spike. They needed somepony to take care of these foals, and that p--er, dragon was you. Of all the beings in Equestria, Twilight chose you."
"Y-yeah, but...I-I mean, well..."
Flash tore his gaze from the foals and turned it to the stuttering dragon. "You're not useless, Spike, it's just that your use is somewhere else. Someone has to take care of these foals," Flash Sentry smirked, "just like someone has to help patrol the city to find frozen ponies."
"The grunt and the babysitter, huh?" Spike said. "Well, I guess I can live with that, for now. What about you?" He raised a fist.
Flash lifted his hoof and the two collided together. The dragon and the stallion shared a brief smile before both began to yawn. "Guess it is getting pretty late," Flash observed. "You can take the couch."
"Nah, I've got the hard scales, the ground won't bother me," Spike assured as he curled on the floor. "Your poor sensitive pony hide needs the couch."
"Hmph, whatever dragon breath," Flash joked before turning his back toward the Spike and closing his eyes. It wasn't long before snoring rang from the guard and echoed through the room. Spike merely rolled his eyes before shifting himself onto his side. As his vision blurred and his eyelids grew heavy, Spike watched over the children huddled together before him.
He watched over Crystal Clarity, noticing how her mane seemed to flow with each breath she took as she slept, just like her mother. He watched over his son, Turquoise Blitz, and marveled, just as Pinkie Pie marveled several years ago, how large mighty dragons came from such small cuddly creatures.
The last thing he saw before sleep finally overtook him was the daughter of Twilight Sparkle, his old guardian.
*
Spike awoke to the sound of knocking. Slowly, he lifted his head as he blinked away the clinging want for slumber. Spike discovered that the children had moved in their sleep, with Claire's legs wrapped tightly his right arm, Turquoise on his left, and Starburst around his neck like some sort of accessory. The flames had died down to mere embers, but it wasn't cold enough to warrant a renewal.
There was another knock. Flash mumbled in his sleep, rolling onto his other side before snoring once more. Groaning, Spike carefully removed Turquoise and Starburst and covered them with a quilt. Claire was more stubborn, growling every time he attempted to free his arm. He surrendered at the sound of a third knock, and he got up with the little dragon-pony cradled in his arms.
The two sluggishly made there way to the front entrance of their home. As he approached the door, Spike yawned and rubbed his eyes. By this time, there was a fourth impatient knock.
Slowly, Spike opened the door, squinting as sunlight flooded his vision. Red spots painted his sight, and he shook his head to clear them.
"Honestly, darling, do you know how long we had to stand out here in the cold, waiting for you to invite us in? This is completely unacceptable."
"Go easy on him, Rarity, it looks like he's had a rough night."
"That's hardly an excuse, Twilight dear."
Spike's vision finally adjusted, and the two mares that had spoken were slowly given shape. He could feel Claire squirm against him as she awoke. "Mommy?" Spike heard her say.
At last he could see. Standing before him was a pouting white unicorn and an amused purple alicorn. Both looked tired, with disheveled coats and messy manes, but their eyes were still filled with burning determination. The unicorn's features softened as Spike gently cupped her cheek with a claw.
"You're back," he whispered.
"Did I worry my brave strong dragon?" the mare teased, taking hold of Spike's arm and leaning her head against it.
Spike smiled and touched his forehead against hers, brushing away a loose curl. The mare purred as he carefully combed her mane with the tips of his claws. He glanced over to the princess standing nearby, who shook her head and grinned knowingly.
"Of course not," the dragon said. He leaned over for a kiss, ignoring their daughter's protests.
Rarity push him back with a hoof against his chest. "Oh?" she said, regarding him with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, maybe a little."
