(It's surprising to hear an adult chuckle after something as serious as swearing had happened. It dislodges some of the tension between his shoulders (Eddddie! You'll tear a muscle if you keep sitting like that!) and feels himself relax.

He relaxes even further when the man agrees to some confidentiality.)

Thank you.

(He means it too. God does he mean it.

His mouth snaps shut and oh, if he could see Eddie's face he might be laughing again. It's pinched up like he just bit into a lemon.)

I can be really good at lying when I have to be.

(When it has to do with his mother in particular. Mostly his mom, actually. If he didn't learn to lie to her, he'd never leave the house or the hospital.)

I once got my nose hit so hard I was bleeding all over my shirt and I put chocolate milk all over it to say I'd spilled it cause the stains looked the same. She bought that.

(Granted, that wasn't his idea at all, but Eddie wasn't about to say that. His pride was on the line.)