[Keith thinks of her as one, too, but there's always something about announcing it, behind claiming it out loud. For him, it's even harder. Friendship feels like something that should involve a bold declaration of intent, or something that comes with people realizing that they weren't in that position before. Maybe he just has it wrong. It's hard for him to tell.

As it is, that bit about the check? He definitely gets it. He might not agree with the whole joking about being an orphan bit—and he definitely feels weird about having been an orphan, now that he has a relatively healthy and prominent relationship with his mother—but that bit about the check?

Yeah, he gets it.]

I always made them regret saying that. Turns out that I can be a bit of a pain to keep around even for the check. [He smirks, drawing his hands back finally to cross his arms.]

Do you wanna spar a bit before we get out of here? [Since they're friends and all, he'll drop his solo act.]