tear me to pieces, skin to bone

When Korbin didn't respond to Loren's question, he pressed his lips together. However, he was more than willing to let that conversation drop. Instead, he just met the Hale's gaze squarely as the other man spoke. After Korbin finished, the healer's jaw feathered with tension. Taking a deep breath, he drew calm from Astra, who stood resolutely by his side. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to overstep, and I'm not trying to take anyone's place or be your friend." Not anymore hung unspoken on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it down. Instead, he just tilted his head slightly to one side, neutral mask firmly back in place and mental walls up. "Is that all you wanted to talk about?" Somehow, he managed to speak in a politely neutral tone. LOREN Not quite an open book