[Gene holds back, letting Jimmy take his time with the album instead of crowding close or trying to get a look at it without the other man's permission. He hadn't looked at it after the Admiral had dumped it on his desk, either - a man's entitled to his privacy, and he's going to try to respect that as much as he can.
So he's quiet, tries to occupy himself by looking at his overstuffed bookshelf, wondering vaguely if there's anything worth rereading or if he should just pitch all his Kipling and move the hell on with his life or what. He hears the change in Jimmy's breathing but still doesn't look back - this isn't Jay going to pieces and Gene isn't going to do anything if Jimmy doesn't ask for it or signal he wants comfort - but Gene does meet his eyes when the guy looks over his shoulder and calls him over. There's no hesitation in him crossing the distance, either, even if he's not running or anything.
Tommy's a cute kid - it's good to get a face with the name, even if obviously he's not a baby anymore - and Gene's smile is soft and genuine.]
How old was he there? [The question's careful if not cautious, because he knows things aren't exactly happy, here, and he doesn't want to step on an emotional landmine if he can help it.]
spam
So he's quiet, tries to occupy himself by looking at his overstuffed bookshelf, wondering vaguely if there's anything worth rereading or if he should just pitch all his Kipling and move the hell on with his life or what. He hears the change in Jimmy's breathing but still doesn't look back - this isn't Jay going to pieces and Gene isn't going to do anything if Jimmy doesn't ask for it or signal he wants comfort - but Gene does meet his eyes when the guy looks over his shoulder and calls him over. There's no hesitation in him crossing the distance, either, even if he's not running or anything.
Tommy's a cute kid - it's good to get a face with the name, even if obviously he's not a baby anymore - and Gene's smile is soft and genuine.]
How old was he there? [The question's careful if not cautious, because he knows things aren't exactly happy, here, and he doesn't want to step on an emotional landmine if he can help it.]