"I know," Cam says, and there's no judgement in it. "It's better you did. It was mindnumbing. If you'd been there it might have only been more mindnumbing, because they'd have wanted you to weigh in. Budget allotments and everyone waxing rhapsodic about their project of the decade. And right now..."

She rocks up onto her toes and back. Even had she not had some context for what's happened, the room tells its own story, and she wishes, as she trails off, that her gifts lay more in tact than they do. She didn't fight her way to the role of Cavalier Primary by being gentle; she's strong, she's detail-oriented, she cares very much. She can admit she's exceptional, even, where it counts.

But she's not nice, not really, and right now Pal really deserves nice.

Setting down the little covered plate on its tray, pragmatically, she very slowly stretches out her hand to settle at the back of his neck, lets it rest just long enough for a deep breath in. Then, second-guessing, she pulls it back, stretching and curling her fingers restlessly and catching her wrist behind her back in an unsettled at-ease.

"What did she say?" she asks quietly, and then makes a face. "I'm sorry. You don't have to -- "