Too good for your own good

His explanation was hanging in the air between them, making the room feel thick with... what was it, tragedy? Merlin, he was tired of that following him around, tired of wearing it like an ugly, hand-me-down jumper that he had to wear lest he offend the giver. He thought school had been hard! Then, he had really only to deal with the death of his parents. He didn't have the destruction of the entire Potter family also attached to him. Now, however, so much darkness followed him, no matter how many lamps he turned on.

But the first words out of her mouth were not quick, fumbled apologies. It was not that blustering sympathy that so quickly suffocated him, turning him from a person into a cause.

In fact, no apology. The only people who didn't apologize about his parents were the sort who knew that an apology did nothing to bring them back.

She began to speak of support and he felt a twinge inside him. He supposed he had Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron, if he ever extended himself, or even the Lupins but... they had suffered the same as him. They were apart of that tragic little world. Once upon a time, he had relied upon Bernice. But that wasn't the case anymore.

"N-no," he fumbled, glancing down and adjusting his glasses as though he were trying to read the files. "Actually, the more aware people are the-the more it's hard to... to feel listened to, I guess." He cleared his throat. "When they know the story, they've already assumed how you feel about it. You know?"

He glanced up, briefly catching her eye before another wave of self consciousness hit him and he began to thumb through the files. "I just mean... It's actually sort of nice. The outside perspective, that is." And he offered a small smile, finding he did mean it.

His argument wasn't one that Avery found herself surprised by, but she didn't know how to respond to it, either. One option, of course, was to explain why she agreed. But she didn't really feel like that was entirely valid, given his circumstances. Avery had forced misery upon herself for a while, and upon losing one person after another, she found that she had truly come to understand what it meant to be in the depths of despair. At least they had something in common, perhaps. Keiran always seemed to believe that he understood, but how could he? Yes, he had lost his father, but Avery seemed to lose everyone - well, except Keiran. So not all was lost, necessarily.

His smile, timid though it appeared, gave Avery the push she needed to take a step towards him. It was slow, though purposeful, and she hoped it conveyed a sense of understanding and camaraderie.

"Look... Teddy, I know you may not ever want to, but.. if you ever need-"

Footsteps. Was that Keiran laughing? She nearly looked, nearly gave up on what she was trying so hard to say despite how she kept tripping over herself.

"-to, to talk.. I mean, I'm a pretty good listener."

"Avery?"

She turned to look at Keiran, stepping back into her own, separate space as he squinted at her and then looked over at Teddy.

"Everything alright here? I found Doris and she said she'd be happy to put them away for us, so if you're good to go..." He suggested none-too-subtly, clearly expecting that something between Avery and Teddy was about to implode.

She frowned a little, disappointment showing. She wanted to stay, oddly enough, and help. But if Doris was back, would Teddy bother to do so? And so what if he did? It seemed highly unlikely that he would tae her up on her offer, given that it meant an almost unbearable level of discomfort for him. Well, if the past few minutes were any indication, anyway.

Keiran tilted his head, clearly confused by her lack of enthusiasm for escaping. Avery tossed Teddy an apologetic but truly hopeful smile, then handed the files over to Keiran.

Hayes, guilt-ridden as he could so easily become, seemed to realize that he had misread the situation. Apparently it was time for some damage control. "Teddy, you're welcome to join us for lunch if you can spare the time to put up with us."

She seemed to be chewing over his words, but something told him they were out of the woods, as far as awkwardness was. As much as tragedy wasn't typically the sort of topic to smooth over social anxiety, somehow the minor, stolen moment of solidarity had improved the interaction - and his mood was considerably improved as well. The clerical office, an accidental prison, had become a much appreciated resting point, a place of exchange.

He glanced down, rereading the name on the file with what must have been the eight time, and he blinked, twitching his nose, having to catch his glasses as they slid down his nose from the movement. He turned and tucked the file away, beginning to get back to work.

Avery's words made him abandon the entire task, turning files in hand, in danger of slipping from his loosening grip. He felt the beginnings of a smile as she stuttered her way through, anticipating the offer but not about to presume so much. He felt his anticipated answer, hoping his good natured countenance did not reveal his answer before he had the chance to say it-

The files nearly jolted out of his hand at Keiran's entrance, but he managed to hold onto them, turning sharply and shoving the topmost file into its allotted slot. Doris was on her way, which he supposed was a good thing. Though it struck him that his time was not over. He still had a question or two about the files he had brought in, and he suspected she would want some explanation as to what was done in her absence.

It was fine. Avery and Keiran were probably ridding themselves of files, preparing to leave, though he did not know, so focused was his gaze on his work. He felt odd, and he wasn't sure he could place it.

Keiran jarred him again from his work again and Teddy looked between the two. Avery's face was warm and inviting, Keiran as pleasant as could be. In that moment, Teddy could think of nothing better.

But there was that twinge, that twinge of anxiety that so often interrupted his life, kept him shackled to less-than-desirable situations. He smiled kindly and tilted his head. "Thanks but... I'd probably handle this mess with Doris. Some other time, I'd love to take you up on the offer." His eyes darted towards Avery on the last word, hoping she understood that the statement extender further than just the invitation to lunch.