Rayner made a face- he hadn't been purely sheepish before, and he certainly wasn't it now. He was a little man in a big world. Had been that way since the day he'd been born. It could kick his ass any which way it liked, and most of the things in it as well, if they really cared to put forth the effort, and signs pointed to Tellus being among those. He'd figured out a handful of years ago, however, that he wasn't terrible at discouraging these things that he required<i>FAR</i>too much effort to bother  stepping on or eating.<br/><br/>That was to say, he didn't take well to threats, especially not laying down.<br/><br/>It felt like a threat though, and literal irony aside, even as Tellus would have no problem seeing his muscles tighten around the nail going down his chest, or the fact that he was turned on despite it. In bed, however, there wasn't much physical display of how he wasn't intimidated, like how he could throw a pose and stare someone down outside, unless he were going to turn Tellus over and continue their little whispered conversation while he got a jump start on round two. While he had no qualms about the woman coming into the threesome and going anywhere and everywhere therein, and wouldn't have minded one bit if he'd been a single man with her right there, he'd been working to make this thing with Celeste work out longer than it had been a thing, and it didn't feel right to get to games while she was in the bathroom. He didn't know if she'd get excited over that, or be hurt, and he wasn't taking that chance.<br/><br/>...unfortunately, that only left him with a growl in his voice as he hushed back.<br/><br/>"Take a number, get in line, and I can bag it for you too."<br/><br/>He supposed he did owe her answers though. Even if he was getting sick of everyone she knew being somewhere else when things went bad or she could have used the help, only to show back up and go for his throat as he tried to deal with the damages. Really reminded him of someone else he knew. Or, rather, far too many people he knew.<br/><br/>"She knows she's different, dunno if it sunk in. Or if she's quite figured out she's short a few memories. See, thing of it all is, she doesn't look changed, she kinda<i>is</i>."<br/><br/>He propped himself up on an elbow, over her, though he wasn't sure if he was doing it so he could flip over and snarl down properly at her if necessary, or so his body could feel it was ready to flip over and do something else if she kept that up. Possibly while snarling at her.<br/><br/>"See, someone killed her daughter, and no sooner do I find out about it than every jokester with the cahones to call his or herself a god starts showing up talking about how something is wrong with her soul, and they have the solution. You know, I don't know shit about this mumbo jumbo, it sounded like carsalesman talk to me. But it's the woman's daughter for fuck sake," he lowered his voice sharply, not because it had gotten too loud, but because he felt like he was about to in a moment.<br/><br/>And because he was up against her a bit more with his body raring to go, and he had to not get too carried away just yet.<br/><br/>"Just as I think me an' her have a way to fix it worked out with them, they change the deal- and no one gives us a heads up or explains the rules. So now she's like that, and no sooner do I think she finally remembers who I am, and that it's not five-or-I-don't-even-know how many years ago," slowly, slowly. His tongue wasn't losing its edge, but his tone was, and he was slowing and quieting down his words, getting control of himself. She could probably tell just from the slowing and the way he was shutting his eyes, concentrating and trying to clear out some of the noise of the anger and sex drive for a few moments.<br/><br/>Didn't know if he trusted Tellus a lot or just that she wouldn't do anything to Celeste, and nothing to him unless she'd made an effort to see to it Celeste wouldn't know or be bothered first, but he was tired of being angry. And that was more what came out next. Tired.<br/><br/>"Than the one of them with an ounce of decency comes to tell me the ones who want to fix it can't, and the ones who can fix it can't be bothered to. In the two weeks since then, I've had about an hour alone and conscious with her. I was gearing up to show her the test Mei gave me when you showed up, but... I don't know how I'll explain to her, or fix any of it, or convince her I<i>want</i>to help so she'll let me try this time."<br/><br/>The last part came as an admission, as close to weak as he was willing to let himself sound, as he finally gave in and tucked his head against her shoulder, and let some fingertips rest on her hip, closing his eyes. Even if the little fellow downstairs was still obviously paying close attention to Tellus.<br/><br/>"Fair enough?"<br/><br/>There wasn't really any edge or anger to it anymore, even though he tried to muster a little for it.