Kadaj ducked away from Nel like a teenage boy having his hair mussed by an affectionate parent and fearing being made to look terminally uncool by allowing it. He tossed his head and flicked his fingers at his hair, and threw Nel a sulky look, ready to whine at her.

He liked Nel, she was calm and kind and looked out for people, and she was, essentially, what Kadaj thought mothers were probably supposed to be. He'd seen flashes of it in his own, but it had been overshadowed by other things, things that now Kadaj had to wonder about. Had they been symptoms of other things. Some of the things she'd screamed at him for, the times she'd cried, or locked herself away, or when she'd locked him away, and when she'd finally left... Had he reminded her of another child that she hadn't been able to keep? Had she been scared of how easily she could lose Kadaj too? His mother had never been very stable, emotionally, but now there might be reasons behind some of it.

What had Hojo done to her to get her to let him use her sons?

He wished, suddenly, that she was still alive, but she'd died in an institution, and left Kadaj a few mementos, letters he couldn't read, and a bangle he couldn't wear.

He needed to learn to read. For many, many reasons.

He looked sharply at Even when he began speaking to Szayel. Even had been warned about aggravating him? That was... flattering, actually.

"No, thank you," he said, to the offer of tea or coffee, manners coming automatically.