Nathaniel gave him a genuine smile, some of his nerves vanishing with Alan's confident and allowing him to come with. It didn't matter, it seemed, as long as he was with him. Nathaniel enjoyed pleasing him no matter what, and battling that was a futile thing. He just needed to remind himself that Alan wasn't going to lay him up in bed, heavy with child, that he wasn't going to strip him of his free will and make him just some mindless<i>thing. </i>That had been thoroughly established during this last heat cycle, and it filled him with pride that Alan had, well, for the most part accepted being his alpha and having Nate as his omega. He wouldn't know what would have happened if that weren't the case.<br/><br/>"I wouldn't think it dull. To have full function again would be relieving, I suspect." He was glad to have had that traumatizing experience behind him, himself, and not just Alan getting into a car wreck. What Lyle had done to him...He took a slow, deep breath. "I appreciate that," he mused and reached out to squeeze Alan's hand. Then he went back to eating, trying to further calm his nerves. That Alan had accepted him back at work at all was a relief; he'd made a damned fool of himself. He was also filled with pride that Alan found him intelligent and competent. When they were finished, he washed the dishes, then excused himself to change into more decent clothes.